What Lies Beneath
by LunaticFringe'sAngel-LA15
Summary: Hux didn't know when it started or when Kylo began noticing, but here they were, back to back, blaster to sabers. It was only when one of them started giving the other longing glances or sent the other feelings through the Force that this... whatever it was, began. He'd say it couldn't get any worse, but that was before the Supreme Leader, Mitaka, and Phasma got involved. Kylux
1. Prologue

Prologue

A/N: I'm officially obsessed with Kylux. And Hux… And Kylo… Especially Hux… I'm just really obsessed with them (thanks AO3). As a result, I bring you this: the (hopefully) slow-build Kylux fic that no one wanted that will probably (as I have yet to run into a fic that has) combine three of my favorite tags, starting after the end of TFA. Apologies for any grammar errors as I can be extremely lazy at times.

Crisp, white snow blanketed the vast landscape of the dying planet. As fire rained across the sky, General Armitage Hux made his way through what started as a light snow, but slowly began to transform into a full-scale blizzard, footsteps crunching behind him. He's really glad he decided to pile on layers before beginning his search for Kylo Ren. Yes, they didn't get along; yes, they barely tolerated each other, only when they were required to be professional; but he didn't want to see him dead, not yet at least. Despite some of his more personal opinions, the First Order needed Ren, whether he liked it or not. More importantly, Supreme Leader Snoke needed Ren, for what purpose he had no idea. He was an asset to them both. The reason he was freezing his backside off was because the Supreme Leader's orders were to bring Kylo Ren to him for the completion of his training. After everything Ren had been through, the idea of him diving straight into training without recovery was simply preposterous, if not for his physical safety, then for his mental health. He was human like the rest of them after all. He couldn't let anyone know he felt that way though.

A biting gust threatened to rip the hood of his thick fur coat back, flakes bombarding and almost blinding him. A gloved hand rose to shield his face as he carried on. Despite his somewhat enhanced eyesight, he could barely see three feet in front of him. Seemingly hours later (though it was only about twenty minutes in reality), he stumbled over what he presumed to be a branch. Glancing back in annoyance, he discovered it to be something much more hazardous: a lightsaber, and only one person had one of this design. No doubt, Hux was heading in the right direction. Clipping the cross shaped weapon to his belt with a little difficulty, he continued forward. A break in the trees revealed a large crack in the earth, splitting the landscape in two, and a few weak rays of sunlight, the orb itself mostly hidden behind stray clouds. The rays seemed attracted to a strange lump in the snow. Upon closer inspection, he saw the black ridges of a familiar object. Reaching out with his other hand, he pulled the mask towards himself with the limited Force abilities that he had; it was definitely Kylo's. How it had ended up there was beyond him, yet he felt as though the answer was fingertips away. That's when he felt it, faint tendrils of the Force hovering over the area he'd pulled the mask from. Squinting, he could see the faint outlines of a… humanoid shape. That's when it hit him.

"Kriff!" he exclaimed, practically scrambling over to the buried Force user, treacherous, upturned terrain making the task more complicated than it should be. As quickly as he could, Hux clawed, quite literally, away the snow and ice surely suffocating Kylo Ren, who lay face down in pink, stained snow. "Ren!" he barked over the howling elements, hoping to elicit some sort of response as he gently turned him over. His hand recoiled in shock. Kylo Ren's face was marred with a nasty cut that practically split his face in two. Dried, frozen blood was caked along it's edges, but what worried him the most was the pale, sickly tinge to his skin and lips, not to mention the ice and growing blue discoloring clinging to his face. Kylo responded with a meek groan, fingers twitching and eyes struggling to open. After they did, with a painful grimace, he hoarsely asked, "H-Hux?" before dissolving into a coughing fit. Flecks of blood flew from his lips, landing next to him in the snow. How had he survived the night out here in the freezing cold?

"Save your strength, Ren," Armitage uttered, hoisting Kylo to his feet and slinging an arm around him. His soaked black robes weighed him down, making every movement more trouble than it was worth. "Can you walk?" Slowly, he attempted to take a single step by himself, but his vision swam and his head felt aflame. The general caught him before he could fall, putting an arm back around him for support despite a few weak protests that "He was fine" and "Could walk perfectly fine, no help necessary." After assisting him with the hood and mask, Hux began to make the long trek back to his shuttle; the wind dialed down some as they progressed. Half way back, he heard Kylo's labored breathing turn shallow. About three-quarters of the way there, the robed warrior was shivering violently, icicles clinging to the dark fabric he donned. The ginger picked up the pace a bit, hoping the Force user could keep up. Just when the shuttle was in sight, he felt Kylo become a dead weight. Cursing internally, he managed to get him on board, hastily shutting the door, turning on the shuttle, jacking up the heat, and frantically searching for a medpack. He'd be damned if he let Ren die of hypothermia or blood loss when he was supposed to be delivering him to Snoke. They took off quickly when his search yielded success, putting the shuttle on autopilot. He crouched down beside his fallen co-commander, removing the hood and mask with hopes that he could breathe a little easier.

"Ah! Son of a-" Kylo exclaimed when he finally regained consciousness and feeling in his tingling limbs. The one positive thing about being buried in the snow was being numb to all of the pain Rey and co. had inflicted on him. The bowcaster shot to his torso pulsed, though it was bearable and hardly worth worrying over. The lightsaber slash to his leg felt like that of a knife wound, a mere cut, and nothing a bacta patch couldn't fix. The lightsaber slash to his face, however, was troubling. Purple tinged edges crusted with dark, dried blood mixed with a small trail of fresh blood. Every minute movement, whether it be blinking, breathing, or talking, seemed to pain him. Hux felt the slightest swell of pity for him. "-nerfherding piece of- *grits teeth*" Hux tsked in response.

"You insisted we needed the girl, and look where it's gotten us. They've obtained both parts of the map, destroyed Starkiller… and this." He glanced over the Force user with a look of disgust, voice full of contempt. "An untrained child beats the _great_ Kylo Ren." The general almost sneered at the statement. The ravenette winced and averted his gaze as the ginger placed bacta patches over the rest of his wounds. Eventually he reached the gash on his face, slowly dabbing at and cleaning around the edges and working his way in. A hiss escaped the younger man. After a brief period of time, the general put everything away, not wanting to risk anything further until they were back on the _Finalizer_. The whole time, the dark jedi of sorts had been fading in and out of consciousness, torn between fighting to stay awake or succumbing to the slightly less painful state of sleep. That being said, he was surprised when a soothing wave of warm and cold flowed across his face, seemingly into his cells themselves, particularly his gash. When he finally cracked his eyes open, which had been squeezed shut in pure agony, he saw Hux retracting his hand, breathing uneven with a light sheen of sweat across his face, which switched from concentrated to concerned. The burning and pulsing of Kylo's wounds were gone, leaving little to no pain as long as he didn't strain himself. Hux hastily pulled his hood tighter over his head and fiddled with his long coat.

"It left scars, but there shouldn't be any more damage done. How do you feel?" Ren sat up, a bit stiff, and experimentally put weight on his legs. He could stand without wanting to heave, so he attempted once again to walk. A few uncertain steps led him to a chair on the other side of the shuttle, where he promptly collapsed and took a few uneven, but calm, breaths. He touched a hand to his face, shocked to find nothing but smooth skin underneath his fingertips.

Looking back at Hux, he inquired, "How did you do that?" He knew for a fact that bacta and even the First Order's most advanced medicines couldn't heal wounds that fast.

The ginger seemed unsure of himself as he answered, "You'll find that I'm full of surprises, Ren." The dark jedi laid his head back against the cool, metal wall and closed his eyes, leaving the contemplation of the general's words for later, when his strength and clarity of mind returned.

XxX

When he awoke, Kylo found himself lying in _Finalizer's_ medbay in white patient's scrubs. Mortified and rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes, he quickly scanned the area and found his robes on a table across the room. Using the Force, he pulled them into his grasp, pleased to find that no pain followed the action. His mask lay next to his bed and- **It** was missing. He mentally kicked himself, putting a fist through and startling a few on duty 'troopers outside of his room. Now everyone knew he was alive and well. They also knew that he was angrier than Vader's ghost. How could he be stupid enough to leave his saber on the dying planet? How incompetent could he be? If the Supreme Leader could see him now… With a sigh, he replaced his folded robes under his mask and lied back down, a hand over his face in frustration. ' _Stressing over the situation won't help,_ ' he thought to himself. He closed his eyes, hoping a bit of meditation might clear his head as the Force pulsed his current emotions. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep once more.

XxX

Armitage awoke to a disturbance in the Force, sitting up with a gasp. Anger and frustration rippled through it aboard his ship. He hummed to himself. So Ren was awake. The more adept Force user was probably finally reacting to his embarrassing defeat at the hands of… Rey, wasn't it? Something like that. Typical of Kylo to wake him up in the middle of some much needed rest. The last thing he wanted to do was go down to the medbay and find millions of credits worth of valuable medical equipment destroyed or damaged beyond repair. When he felt the feeling fade into a deep sense of calm, he relaxed. He lied back down, hoping sleep would welcome once more. Unfortunately not. Getting out of bed with a sigh, he sat down at his desk and scrolled through his datapad.

Already, damage and casualty reports were coming in. The number of credits lost seemed to rise endlessly, and the trooper and personnel list grew longer by the minute. That's when he let it all sink in: the downfall of his greatest achievement, the blood of tens of thousands on his hands, a failure that would forever tarnish the reputation he had worked so hard to build up, his failure to the Supreme Leader… Of course he'd live up to the negative standards of his ungrateful father. Things had gotten much better between them over the years. It had gotten to the point where they were glad to see each other with every visit. Now… "Thin like paper and just as useless," he muttered to himself, his father's words echoing in his head like a mantra, and it was. Just when he thought he'd proven himself at last, this happens. With a deep growl, he clenched his free hand into a fist, hearing the tell-tale sound of glass shattering. Opening a cabinet with a wave of his hand, he discovered the remains of a bottle of brandy. He scolded himself. ' _Control yourself, Hux,'_

Taking a deep breath, he went and laid on his stomach curled up on the bed, facing the viewport directly across from it. An infinite array of stars whirring by made him smile softly. He would never get tired of the sight. Just as he felt his eyes begin to droop, his commlink beeped urgently, startling him back awake. "Oh, for the love of-" he grumbled before responding. "Yes, what is it?" Judging by the panic present in Lieutenant Mitaka's voice, it wasn't a request for him to be on the bridge or an invitation for a meeting. He quickly apologized and told him to continue.

"G-General, sir. It's Lord R-Ren. The doctors are-*gulp* The 'troopers won't go anywhere near the medbay. Anyone who's tried has… Captain Phasma suggested alerting you to the situation."

Groaning, he replied, "Give me five minutes." Leaping out of bed, he practically threw on a halfway decent casual outfit, slipping on some boots and his greatcoat before briskly making his way to the medbay. Rummaging around in his bedside drawer, he pulled the first weapon to make it into his hands out and stuffed it in the back of the waistband of his sweatpants. With a minute to spare, he joined Captain Phasma amongst the carnage of unresponsive, and most likely dead, medical personnel. She had her helmet tucked under her arm, brushing locks of blonde hair away from her eyes, wearing plaid sleep pants and a dark, loose blouse. At least he wasn't the only one out of uniform.

"Phasma."

"Armi."

"Status report." His lips quirked slightly upward at the nickname from one of his closest friends.

"Ren has incapacitated five doctors, over a dozen 'troopers, scared Mitaka shitless-"

" *chuckles* So I noticed."

"- and blocked anyone from physically entering the medbay. It's like there's some invisible barrier blocking the door." The ginger frowned at the statement. He knew every inch of his ship. There wasn't shielding of any kind for any of the doors.

"Show me," he requested. She strolled over to the door and pressed her palm flat against the air, pushing forward. Backing away, she then took a blaster out of the waistband of her pants and fired off a few shots. They became suspended in midair a millimeter away from the door before dropping harmlessly to the floor.

"No one can get in. A few of my men reported shouting from Ren's room and came and got me. By then, three of the five doctors at our feet had been thrown out here. When I walked in, it felt like something was shoving me back. That's when I ended up out here. Two more bodies followed."

"A Force-field," Hux realized.

"I assumed a force field as well, but the readings from the-"

"No, not a force field, a **Force** -field," he told her. She stared at him, hearing the difference but not comprehending the different meanings. Before he knew how to control his newfound gift at a very young age, he'd create a Force-field, as he called them, when his emotions got out of control. He thought of it as a way to keep anyone from getting hurt back then. This wasn't his first from Ren he'd encountered. He'd reprimanded him once in the middle of a console's destruction, leaving the other at a loss of words as he walked through the doorway effortlessly and told him, in an irritated manner, to stop destroying his ship. He hadn't realized what he'd done at the time, but looking back, it was similar to the current situation."Protection made by the Force itself surrounds a person or object, protects them from others or others from them."

"I still don't understand."

"Only someone Force-sensitive can breach them," Hux explained further, a feeling of uneasiness washing over him. "Preferably someone you're familiar with. It's a sort of safety precaution." Walking up to the doorway, he laid a hand flat against it and applied some pressure. After a second, his hand phased through and Phasma made the connection.

"Why didn't you ever tell me? You're a-"

"The most I can do is skim thoughts and move objects, hardly worth bragging about or sharing. There's a lot I haven't told you." He pulled the rest of himself through the Force-field and went to search for Ren's room, not looking back to see Phasma shaking her head at him.

XxX

The next time Kylo awoke, his mind was clear, yet foggy, as if stuffed with cotton balls. His emotions were back under control and he felt better, better than he had in **years** , almost comfortable. That's when he noticed he wasn't alone, making his mood dissipate. Alert, he sat up and stood, reaching out for his saber and cursing when he remembered it was no longer in his possession. He drew a scalpel into his hand instead, brandishing it fiercely. He felt the presence before he saw it, trying and failing successfully to hold back an anguished cry. The man came into view, hair gray with a few dark strands scattered about. From his face, you can tell he must've been a handsome man when he was younger. Stood in a rugged outfit with a DL-44 blaster attached to his hip was none other than Han Solo. He wore a melancholy smile as he gazed up at his son. "Ben," he whispered.

"No," the Force user gasped, shaking his head in denial. "No. You can't be here. No!" Suddenly, three doctors scurried in, hearing the noise of distress. Without thought and with a flick of his wrist, Ren shoved them back through the door they came from, hearing satisfying crunching noises as they collided with a wall outside. Two more ran in, one with a sedative in his hand and one with an I.V. bag. The scalpel went sailing through the air, hitting the doctor with the sedative square in the chest. The last doctor was frozen in fear before having his neck snapped by invisible hands. Both corpses went to join the others out in the hall. He heard stormtrooper boots receding quickly in the opposite direction. He dropped to his knees, distraught and confused, negativity rolling off of him in waves. He felt another, stronger presence enter his room and quickly tried to push them out. They were strong, he'd give them that, but they were no match for him. He closed his eyes and, once he was sure he'd calmed down, opened them as he looked up. Han was crouching down beside him, rubbing his back comfortingly, a familiar, calming gesture. Ren nodded and Solo ruffled his hair as they got up together and sat on the edge of the medbay bed. The younger man was the first to speak.

"I'm so-"

"Don't. Don't start that nonsense with me. It was my choice on the bridge."

"I… Snoke, he…" He shook his head, burning with shame as tears rolled down his cheeks. "Snoke told me that… If I were to kill you, I could cut all ties to the Light and fully embrace the Dark. He said that it would all finally become clear, but… I'm still being torn apart. It's gotten worse!"

"It's not-"

"It's entirely my fault! The Supreme Leader told me your death was the key for me to complete my training, and now… Now I don't know if I can. I cannot join the Resistance nor can I betray the my master, but I cannot train in this state." Han didn't know how to respond (After all, Leia was the one who was good at this sort of thing. Feelings, their son, talking in general, had always been her strong suit, not his.), afraid he might worsen the situation. "Nothing could possibly make this worse."

"You'd be surprised how bad things can get when you're in deep. Did your uncle ever tell you about the time that he, your mother, and I were captured by Darth Vader?" That piqued his son's interest.

"What about grandfather?" he inquired, less upset and more intrigued.

"Well, it all started with a friend of mine named Lando…" He told the tale, feeling the mood lift the longer he talked, a nice distraction from the current situation. Kylo's expression morphed into that of wonder by the end of it, having changed from attentive to disbelieving, humored to sympathetic.

"And Luke found out that Darth Vader was his father?"

"Vader told him apparently, asked him to rule the galaxy by his side. *scoff* Can you believe that? Luke said he thought he'd rather die in that moment than join the Empire. All this fuss about the Light side and Dark side, I swear, I'll never understand it. It's still the Force, so what's the difference?"

"The Light side is weak. It's why grandfather slaughtered the jedi and tried to bring peace to the galaxy. I plan on continuing his legacy-"

"Do you even hear yourself? All this talk about following Vader's footsteps and you don't even know the whole story!"

"What do you mean?" he demanded to know.

" **Vader** was the reason the Galactic Empire fell. He was a hero for the Rebellion in the end despite all the years he fought against us. He turned his back on Palpatine and embraced the Light-"

"Lies! He was the most powerful Sith Lord-"

"He was one of the most powerful jedi of the Republic before he was a Sith Lord. He saved Luke's life by embracing the Light. There's a prophecy and everything. Something about a Chosen One…" Kylo was silent, trying to wrap his head around this new information.

"How do you know all this?" he finally questioned. Han smirked.

"What do you think I was doing looking for you all these years? I had to know where you were, what you did, where you'd go next. And if I happened to come across a few restricted files along the way? I'd store them away so I could bring them back to base. Might've read a little bit. Your First Order is really organized; it's almost scary. Besides, I've met some of Leia's relatives beyond the grave. The tales some of them tell…"

"That's General Hux for you. Ever the perfectionist… I'm sorry, father, for everything." The old pilot waved away his apology.

"Well, sorry can't fix anything now, can it? Besides, do you really think your mother and I could stay mad at you forever?"

" *sadly chuckles* I suppose not…" A smile began to spread across both their faces.

"Now that I've seen you again, like this, I think I can finally rest in peace, at least for the moment." Kylo was in no way redeemed, but seeing just a glimpse of his son, the person he used to be, warmed him to the core.

"I… Must you go?" He wasn't the closest with his father, but he didn't want to see him leave, not yet, not when they were finally finding common ground, something to work with.

"It takes energy to appear to you here. This won't be the last time you see me, I promise." Kylo nodded, about to speak again when he felt a shift in the Force. Someone else was in the room, slowly approaching. He paused, worrying Han. "What is it?" Without warning, Kylo whirled around and thrust his left hand out, Force pushing whoever dare sneak up on them. He was flabbergasted, however, when he saw it was Hux who'd breached his defenses and was **pushing back** with his hand out in turn, a pained look on his face. With wide eyes, he dropped his hand, trying to even out his breathing. Hux dropped his hand as well, groaning in pain and shaking out his hand.

Taking a few deep breaths, the ravenette asked, "You. You're…? You can…? How?" Hux was Force-sensitive. How had he not known or sensed it sooner? It would explain some things: how he seemed to know everything negotiators were about to say at meetings or on diplomatic missions, how he could seemingly do five things at once sitting at his desk or standing at his position on the bridge, how he'd gotten to him that day in a lower deck console room… Han placed a gentle hand on his son's shoulder.

"The better question is," Hux began, torn between reaching for the blaster that should've been at his waist and letting curiosity get the best of him. "How is **he** here?" The redhead gestured to Han Solo, who smirked and lowered his hand.

"That, buddy, is for us to know and you to find out, isn't it?" he said snarkily, becoming brunette and thirty years younger before their eyes. He wrapped his arms around his son, a silent promise that he'd return, and walked past Hux, form disappearing within seconds. There was an uncomfortable silence between the co-commanders, the two staring at each other intensely with no idea what to say to the other. Kylo lightly brushed against Hux's mind, feeling mental barriers blocking him. Hux grimaced, giving him an annoyed look.

"How long ago did you find out?" Kylo finally asked after what seemed like an eternity. Hux schooled his features into his usual stoic mask. Kylo could've sworn his eyes looked… different, but with a blink, they seemed normal.

"A lifetime," he replied. "One where I and one other person knew of my secret. You and another know and I'd like to keep it that way," he added, tone bordering on threatening, but not quite. Ren nodded.

"I have no intention of revealing your abilities to the Supreme Leader. I have no intentions of seeing him soon at all actually." Hux hummed regretfully.

"I'm afraid that's not possible." He continued when Ren gave him a confused look. "He's ordered me to bring you to him to-"

"Complete my training," he finished resignedly. He gulped, a shiver running down his spine. "It won't be pleasant."

"What, if I may ask, does it entail?" Kylo shook his head.

"It's not my place to discuss it, least of all with you. I am thankful that you saved my life, General, truly, but that doesn't mean that we're suddenly best friends. We all have our secrets, after all." He gave his co-commander a onceover. "Nice outfit, by the way," he added snarkily.

"Likewise. Oh, and here," he retorted, pulling Ren's lightsaber from his waist and handing it over. "I figured you might like this back. Do try to destroy less with it, hmm?" Without another word, he stalked back out of the medbay to a concerned looking Phasma, leaving Kylo to his own devices. The crackle and sizzle sound behind him was almost reassuring. She stood up and fell into step with him as they headed back to their separate quarters.

"How'd it go?" she asked. Hux glanced at her, not wanting to divulge all the details just yet, lost in thought for the majority of the rest of their walk. Kylo's reaction to his news was startling. He knew he awaited pain and turmoil once he returned to the Supreme Leader. He wouldn't call it concern, but he wasn't as heartless as he appeared. Did he give a damn about what people said and thought? Of course. Was he usually allowed to display that image to others, at least when it counted? No, not at all. With his close circle, including Phasma, perhaps. To Kylo Ren? Absolutely not. His stunt back on Starkiller base was a life or death situation, an exception. He wouldn't show weakness again, least of all when Snoke expected them soon.

"As one would expect, with a little less destruction this time. Perhaps I'll discuss it another time. Goodnight Phasma," he responded as he reached his quarters, watching her nod to him and disappear around the corner before keying in his code and retiring for the night. He had much to think about later.

Closing A/N: So, how'd I do? 1st TFA fic and I'm not sure when I'll get more done, but thumbs up, down? I'll write more backstory when I get a chance, as it'll play a role later, after I get back to my other fics.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One: More Than Meets the Eye

A/N: Here's a little Hux backstory, kind of, and if you haven't noticed yet, this fic is a little Hux-centric at times. I don't have/ haven't read the book, which probably explains a lot of things, so I'm doing a lot of guesswork and just creating whatever. Also, you'll find that I don't know what I'm talking about once the backstory part ends, so I'm sorry if I screw up any major details (Resistance controlled space, planets, stuff like that, interior of ships). With that said, here's chapter one.

All his life, he'd been looked down upon, told he'd amount to nothing, told that a bastard, son of a whore, born in the rain could never achieve greatness. Being the son of Commandant Brendol Hux had been pure Hell at times for Armitage. As a child, he was shorter than most boys, thin as a rail, easily got sick, was the most shy, timid thing in the galaxy. He had a brilliant mind, but nothing outside of that. People would tease that he had pink hair and call him a girl. His own father had called him, "... a weak-willed boy. Thin like paper, and just as useless," but had sworn that he would make his son something even if it killed him. He never saw much of his mother. His past was such a blur that he couldn't even remember her, except for her warm, dark eyes and equally ginger, yet curly, hair. Don't get him started on his six younger siblings.

The eldest of his younger siblings, Chandler, worked with all sorts of creatures across the galaxy, though he had a specialty with dragons. Percival ran the government of a neutral system that Hux made sure was left well alone, though he'd check in on them from time to time. Fredrick and Gregory owned the galaxy's best weapon's business, and made most of them themselves. Fredrick was on guns and Gregory was on explosives and tools. Rhandal ran the _Challenger_ , a First Order destroyer that was responsible for scouting systems. Finally, his youngest sibling and only sister, Gianna, ran a tailoring business on Naboo, where his mother resided, making the most fashionable and comfortable clothes anyone's ever wore.

Hux born was an engineer. It was something he'd always been good at, whether it be tinkering with some spare parts lying around the house or fixing some old machinery, he could build and repair just about anything. After a few extensive months of studying and part searching, he'd managed to build a medical droid that would remain at the house should anyone need it when he was around eight. At eleven, he made his own customized speeder. When he was thirteen, he made major improvements to his father's old blaster, making it many times more accurate and many times more painful, which he figured out the hard way. At sixteen, he'd built special, before its time commlinks for himself and each of his siblings so that, no matter how far apart they were, the signal would remain clear as a bell. They still worked to this day, though remained largely unused unless necessary.

When his father realized his talent, he enrolled his son in the academy as soon as he was able to. As a cadet, he was less shy and more anti-social. He would converse with his bunkmate and the other cadets who were around him more often than not sometimes, but kept mostly to himself. He kept the mindset that he always had something to prove, and it motivated him to one up himself whenever he could. He quickly got the whole academy's attention as his skills put him in the spotlight because along with his mind as an engineer, he was also an excellent strategist, a talented liar, competitive, and levelheaded when he needed to be. Everyone knew his father, but he didn't come out of his shell until someone had finally asked, "What's your name, man?"

He couldn't remember if it was another cadet or an instructor, but he'd answered confidently, "Armitage. Hux. My name is Armitage Hux." From then on, he didn't hold back, surpassing everyone he knew in the blink of an eye. Brendol, who was pleased with his progress, actually started spending more time with him, trying to figure out what made his son tick the way he did. Slowly, Armitage went from a wallflower of a boy to a cold, calculated soldier as he rose in rank. He cut his hair, he locked away his emotions, and every time he spoke to his father, he told him, "No matter what you think of me, I swear, I'll be great. Just you wait." With each repetition, the words rang truer and truer, until he'd finally been made General. That was the day he wore a genuine smile on his face for the first time in years.

A negative environment and dark backstory wasn't the only thing that made his life difficult. When he was seven years old, he realized that the strange occurrences around the house for the last year and a half were his doing. He didn't tell anyone of course, literally barricading himself in his room at times when he felt his control slipping on his newfound powers. The holonet was a wonderful resource then. After lots of searching, he came across an interesting book that described his powers. The Force, it had been called, life itself that flowed through objects and beings. Those who could wield it were Force-sensitive, and many had become Jedi during the era of the Clone Wars, learning the ways of the Light Side. Those who chose to utilize it for their own personal means, who embraced the Dark Side, were known as the Sith. It all seemed like old tales to him at the time, but he kept them in mind for future reference. He tried not to think about it sometimes, how people's thoughts were within reach if he focused on the person, how fun it was to mess with his brothers when he could move things by just lifting a finger, how his instincts seemed to never fail him. He'd managed to make it through the academy without using the Force too much, skimming thoughts mostly if ever. He thought of it as a challenge, something he could learn to control and bend to his will.

It came in handy on the field though. One of his first actual missions, a mission gone wrong, resulted in one of his partners spending a few weeks in a bacta tank. They would've died, however, had he not mended the broken ribs and punctured lung of said partner. He'd been terrified that he'd hurt them at first. After all, he'd been sitting there, hands over the wound to try and stop the bleeding, and suddenly, they fall unconscious, became unresponsive. As he waited in the medbay, the doctor reported that the ribs and lung had seemingly repaired themselves and, along with the other extensive injuries, should've been the death of them. Hux had taken a few medical classes after that, wanting to know how to recognize the various injuries and conditions when the situation called for it, though he'd forgotten most of it now.

Despite all that, he had an even deeper secret that only he knew. He'd didn't really notice it at first. He had multiple growth spurts, his eyesight vastly improved, as did his physical strength and agility. He was extremely perceptive, which made him an very effective shot. He rarely missed. He thought it was all natural. There were times, however, when he would wake up and feel like he was having an out of body experience, feel disconnected from everyone. He blamed it on his Force-sensitivity, and he was mostly right, but there was something else, something larger at play. He eventually, though begrudgingly, accepted it, knew he had to learn to live with it. He thought his father could help him through it, but all the advice he got was, you'll understand it all when you're older. He did, obviously, but at the time that was about as useful as his father's parenting.

As general, he was in control of his own ship and **he** was the boss. It wasn't some teacher or his father ordering him around, oh no. He gave the orders now. The _Finalizer_ was the name of his ship. He loved it instantly, recognizing its (his) design from the academy days. To think that they'd built him his own ship with his own blueprints… Then, there were the stormtroopers and along with the stormtroopers came Phasma. She'd been his bunkmate once upon a time, simply because his room had the last available bunk and neither her parents nor her were taking no for an answer. She'd reached out to him long before he'd become a more open person, befriending him before he even knew the true meaning of the word friend. They trained together, competed field wise, learned from each other. When they met again on the _Finalizer_ , Hux was beyond thrilled, embracing her and telling her how he'd have the best troops in the galaxy with her as Captain. The stormtroopers were people Armitage didn't think he'd take much of an interest in. He's glad he was wrong on that note. When he felt like it or the occasion arose, he would sit with them in the mess hall, converse with them on a shuttle or on a walk down the ship corridors. He would listen to each of their stories, of the how and why they were aboard. Despite his outward appearance, he deeply respected them and tried to treat them with said respect when he could.

The strangest case was a man named Dopheld Mitaka. The Lieutenant's academy reputation was similar to his: top of his class, brilliant in a certain field, destined for great things. Mitaka reminded him of his old self, when he was a fragile, young thing. He'd seen the Lieutenant have his moments though, when the anger and determination was present. Mitaka was also one of his most loyal crew members, able to keep classified information safe and run parts of the ship where he couldn't intervene as much. (And if the awkward looks and thoughts, which he didn't overhear on **purpose** , were anything to judge by, he'd say he had an admirer.) He would never admit it, but he had a sort of soft spot for him. The man was competent for the most part. Most of the crew was as well, thankfully.

That left the most infuriating, childish, wildcard, short tempered, destructive co-worker: Kylo Ren, or as he'd eventually discover, Ben (Organa-) Solo. Supreme Leader Snoke, who is the galaxy's biggest question mark, had a prized apprentice and adept Force user that was something else. Daily grievances sent to "Lord Ren," as he was to be referred to as apparently, included: the unnecessary terrorizing of stormtroopers, petty arguments with the general, being late to anything and everything, any mentions of the Force or his being superior because he can use the Force, his attitude in general, and his tendency to destroy consoles and valuable equipment on the ship. Despite his flaws, there was no denying he got things done. Missions were finished in the blink of an eye, enemies slaughtered with one movement, and his presence terrified just about every soul out there, excluding Hux and co., of course. The day he was told that he was to co-command the _Finalizer_ with Kylo Ren was the day **he** destroyed valuable equipment that he quickly repaired himself. Suffice it to say, his ship ran efficiently, everyone, save for he and Ren, got along, and they always got the job done.

XxX

Now, the morning after the collapse of Starkiller, the crew observed their general as he took up his normal spot on the bridge. They noticed that the spark in his eye had gone out with his creation. He was a little more cold, a little more closed off, a little more General than Hux at the moment. "Lieutenant," he finally spoke. Mitaka shuffled up to his superior's location.

"General Hux, sir?" he responded, his usual uncertainness present in his voice.

"Are we on schedule to arrive at our location?"

"Y-Yes sir. ETA is less than three hours."

"Good. Tell Lord Ren to report to my quarters at the end of Delta shift for briefing on an urgent matter." The ginger watched the Lieutenant gulp.

"Lord Ren, sir?" He sighed, knowing Ren had looked ready to kill Mitaka their last encounter. "O-Of course. Right away." With a salute, he was gone. Hux closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping that his decision would not end in disaster. At the end of Delta shift, he excused himself from the bridge, returning to his quarters and settling down on his bed with a book in his lap. The different creatures from some of the more lush, inhabited worlds were so interesting and a sight to behold. He'd have to thank Chandler for the book later. He'd just finished a chapter on aklay, found on Felucia, when his door opened, revealing Kylo Ren, who was fifteen minutes fashionably late. He wore his usual attire: combat boots, billowing black robes, that Force awful mask that served no true purpose.

"Mitaka said you wished to speak with me, General?" He tried to speak as if last night's events hadn't happened. Hux looked up from the page about wolves and nodded, motioning towards his desk chair. His quarters were neat for the most part. Files, stacks of paperwork, his personal datapad, and a few writing utensils were arranged neatly on his desk, which was adjacent to his nightstand, adorned with an alarm clock, and king sized bed, whose colors were that of river blue and a deep, rainforest green with black every now and then. A spaceport was fixed across from the bed and an orderly closet containing shoes and a multitude of uniforms as well as casual and formal wear was placed on the far side of the room. Sitting next to the closet was the door to the refresher, and next to that, on shelves on the wall, were a few photos of his siblings and mother as well as a full family portrait. On the opposite side of the room stood a workbench cluttered with half finished small projects and parts, a full bookshelf, and a small fridge. Along the wall where the door is is a row of cabinets containing everything from alcohol to spare sheets and pillows. He took the offered seat.

"Yes. As far as the Supreme Leader knows, we're stuck passing through Resistance territory, and until we've safely passed through, there is no way to get you to him at the moment." He tried to say it nonchalantly, but it came out more relieved than anything. Kylo cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"I assume our original path would've taken us straight to his citadel with no delays?" Hux raised an eyebrow at him, marking his page and putting the book down.

"I'll answer you when you take off that ridiculous mask. Really, I've seen your face before. You have no need to hide it from me." The Force user seemed genuinely surprised at the request, complying despite his unwillingness to do so. With a hiss, his mask detached and he shook out his hair, not quite looking at Hux.

"You're stalling," he commented, and Hux felt a lot better now that he could hear Ren's voice and not the warped sound of his mask's voice modulator.

"I'm protecting your well being. From the way you describe your training, I don't think it's wise for you to go straight to Snoke after-"

"That's not your decision to make," Kylo interrupted, determined dark eyes meeting Hux's piercing blue-green ones. "It's not either of ours, and if the Supreme Leader found out you delivered me to him late on purpose…"

"He won't," Hux insisted, believing that statement 100%. "Besides, we'll have an actual reason to be occupied in three… two… one…" Alarms started blaring at the end of his countdown, red flashing across the walls. The ship shook as cannon fire from fighters rained down upon it.

" _All available units to your battle stations! Enemy Attack. This is not a drill. This is NOT a drill!_ " Hux grabbed his boots, but instead of putting on his greatcoat, he keyed in a code that revealed a secret compartment in his closet. Inside was, among other things: black, white, and red combat armor, a sniper rifle, dual blasters, a myriad of explosives thrown into a bag, and some sort of sword like weapon. The general made quick work of putting on the armor, which was very lightweight yet extremely durable, much like his weapons, and equipping his pistols and explosives before turning to Ren, helmet tucked under his arm. The dark Jedi was at a loss of words.

"Well, are you just going to sit there, _Lord Ren_ , or are we going?" Kylo snapped out of his confusion and followed, unsure of what Hux was getting at. He felt a sort of dangerous thrill at the sight of a battle ready Hux, though he hadn't the slightest idea why. He wasn't about to jump in a fighter and go out there, was he?

"You're not actually thinking of going out there, are you?" Kylo asked, voicing his thoughts, mask back on. Hux looked at him as they made their way back to the bridge with a face of calm and a glimmer of mischief.

"How long has it been since the end of Alpha shift?"

"About three standard hours. Why?"

"We're right on schedule," he stated as the bridge came into view. Looking out at the battle raging around his ship, his eyes were drawn to the planet of Dathomir. "When we've destroyed our opposition, we'll go planetside."

"The Resistance has an interest in Dathomir?"

"I don't rightly know, but I'd heard rumors of them occupying the atmosphere and got a little curious." Looking around at his scurrying crew, he shouted, "Report!"

"Shields up and running, but taking heavy fire. Our cannons and turrets are fully functional with minimal damage taken. We haven't lost many troops and have destroyed one of their frigates, sir!" Hux nodded, observing a dog fight between a TIE/sf fighter and a T-70 X-wing. He felt a wicked smile form on his face a thought struck him. Kylo shook his head.

"No. It's suicide, Hux-"

"With you as a pilot and myself manning the gun, we'll have no issue infiltrating their cruiser, Ren. Unless your heritage and family history is just that, history, then-"

"And I suppose you can actually aim, given the words of your father-" Hux immediately stepped in his face with a scowl.

"Do not mention my family in these matters, Ren." His voice was full of malice and hatred.

"Then do not mention mine," he growled, equally furious. Their fiery eyes met for a moment before the ship shook again and unbalanced them.

"Phasma, Lieutenant! I leave the bridge under your command until Lord Ren and I return." The two turned to him bewildered.

"Sir?" she asked. "You're not thinking of-"

"We'll return unharmed, Captain, I assure you. Just keep the ship up and running until then," Kylo interrupted, drawing a glare from behind her helmet. With an apologetic glance, the redhead donned his helmet, turned on his heel, and headed for the hangar.

XxX

" _Sir, someone's breached the cruiser. There are two unidentified_ -" The Resistance officer's comm crackled as he heard screams, blaster fire, and choking in the background. Before the signal cut out completely, he heard the scream of, "Kylo Ren!" Meanwhile, Hux and Ren had managed to, with little difficulty, maneuver through laser and cannon fire, blow up a few enemy fights, and safely land in the Resistance's hanger bay. Kylo enjoyed the feeling of his saber slicing through pilots and troop like a knife through butter as he covered Hux. They'd then managed to make their way to the auto defense mainframe, where they took down the exterior cannons and such, and then to the shield generator. Here, Hux unclasped a strange looking explosive that looked like a cross between a time bomb and a detpack. He placed two beside the shield generator and beckoned Ren to the outside. He pulled out a detonator and, when they were a few feet away from the door, pressed the button. A few seconds later, a fantastic explosion followed and the lights on the cruiser flickered momentarily. " _Our shields have been disabled!_ " said the intercom.

"Shall we destroy anything else?" Hux asked. Kylo found the sight of the general in combat a bit unnerving, especially in his helmet. The casual tone of his words made him feel a bit on edge. ' _Maybe that's what everyone else feels around me_ ,' he thought before responding.

"I suppose we could plant more of your explosives before leaving." With a nod, a few bombs went in the life support systems and engine cooling tanks. As they resituated themselves in the TIE and took off, Hux pressed the detonator button, satisfaction washing over him as most of their engines overheated and exploded, tendrils of smoke beginning to infect the hangar from their work.

"See?" Hux prompted. "Simple, and you even got to cut down a few pilots." He fired on a fighter, scoring a direct hit. Kylo, not one to be outclassed, fired lasers that took down a bomber, then performed an evasive maneuver that caused two X-wings to collide on their way towards them. The general glared out of his peripheral vision, and Kylo was thankful his mask hid his smug grin. Safely landing back on the _Finalizer_ , the two headed back up to the bridge, where most of the remaining crew was. Whipping off his helmet, Hux strode over to his usual spot and waited. He saw some of their bombers take out the last frigate and silently awaited the Resistance's demise. Flames engulfed their cruiser as miniature explosions rang out in each subsection of it. It wasn't long before it was nothing but a pile of charred scrap, and he heard cheers erupt on the other side of his comm. "A job well done, everyone." he proclaimed, causing the bridge crew to visibly relax. Kylo, however, tensed, a hand going up to his head. Hux felt another, non-physical, presence in the air, turning to the black clad warrior in worry.

"The Supreme Leader wishes to speak with us," he stated, hand lowering to his side, walking in the opposite direction. Hux nodded and fell into step with him.

"The holo chamber was destroyed with Starkiller," he reminded him. Kylo paid him no mind, leading them to one of the ship's lowest decks, where they were met with a security door. With a wave of his hand, the door opened to reveal a smaller, similar holo chamber. Once inside, Ren removed his mask and kneeled at the holo of Snoke. Hux stood beside him, not quite meeting the eyes of the ancient figure. "Master, allow me to explain-"

"Silence," Snoke hissed, effectively cutting him off. "I did not summon you here to listen to excuses." Ren glanced at Hux, who met his gaze. Instead of indifference or mocking, he saw pity in those ocean like eyes. "I trust the general has informed you of your next task?"

"Yes, Supreme Leader. We've just engaged and defeated a Resistance fleet over the atmosphere of Dathomir. We plan to resupply and continue on to your citadel." He regarded Hux in his current gear for a moment.

"I see. I trust you're also working on a new superweapon to make up for the failure of Starkiller as well?"

"As we speak," the ginger replied.

"Good. Be sure you're ready when you arrive, apprentice. I will not accept failure a second time."

"Yes, Supreme Leader," the two responded in unison. With that, the hologram flickered out, leaving the two alone. Hux looked around in wonder as Kylo stood up.

"When was this built? I know every inch of this ship and-"

"When I was first stationed on the _Finalizer_ , he had me organize a group to build it. It was to be top secret and used only if Starkiller's holo chamber was destroyed or disabled. He had me create the door so that only I, or in our case, someone Force-sensitive, could use it. That being said…" He looked to Hux expectantly. The general peered at him curiously before skimming his thoughts. His eyes widened and he moved away from him.

"No." He walked briskly out of the chamber, Kylo hot on his heels.

"Hux-"

"What part of no do you not understand, you insolent child? I want nothing to do with you, Snoke, or this curse thrust upon me," he snarled, baring sharp teeth for a moment. Ren seemed taken aback, then enraged.

"I'm no child and you cannot act like you don't have Force abilities." Hux scoffed at him as they passed by the mess hall, on their way to the crew's quarters.

"I have kept that and much more hidden for almost my entire life acting like I'm a normal human being." Sighing frustratedly, he tried to compose himself. "I will not be trained by you or the Supreme Leader, nor will I join the pathetic, dwindling remnants of a group from the Old Republic. *keys in door code* Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to change into something fitting of a visit planetside. I suggest you do the same." The door to his quarters opened and, just as they were closing, the dark Jedi shoved his hand through to stop it.

"You will see things my way sooner or later. This discussion isn't over, General."

"*plucks his hand from the doorway* It is for now." Kylo stood there fuming after the door closed, using the Force to find the nearest uninhabited room. Another console found itself the victim of Kylo Ren's wrath, but he couldn't help but feel for sure that Hux would come around. It was only a matter of time.

Closing A/N: Whelp, that was a mess. Feel free to tell me anything and everything I got wrong. Also, I wasn't about to use the Weasleys' actual names for the sake of not making this a crossover, so there's that. Next chapter: my own horrible version of Kylo's backstory and the continuation of whatever the second half of this was.

*Shoutout to Aiambia on YouTube, whose lyrics inspired parts of the backstory written above with her Hux fan video (that I'm also borrowing, just a little bit).


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Two Sides of the Same Coin

A/N: Okay, here's my attempt at a Kylo backstory. Phew… Here goes.

Ben Solo, (Ben Organa-Solo, thank you very much, in his words) the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa. Force-sensitive, he was trained by his uncle, Luke Skywalker, with an equal chance to choose the Light or Dark Side, but with unlimited potential. All his life, Kylo Ren was made to live in a world where everyone chose for him. Everyone chose that he would have no friends; his parents chose that he would train with Luke; Luke chose that Kylo be instructed like his other students as Jedi in training. That was, until Snoke gave **him** a choice, to come join him away from all he'd ever known, where he'd be free. The first choice he'd ever been given, and he accepted it, joining the ranks of, and eventually commanding, the Knights of Ren, who served under Supreme Leader Snoke. Things didn't have to be that way, but Kylo had the odds stacked against him at the start.

Kylo was born during a time when the galaxy was struggling to right itself. The death of Darth Vader had his family in tears and the end of the Galactic Civil War spelled dire consequences for the Rebellion. Both of his parents loved him, though Leia was more open with her love than Han, and felt that Kylo meant the world to them. His uncle, the great Jedi hero, visited from time to time, entertaining his nephew with stories of the past. It wasn't until Kylo found out about his Force abilities that everything changed. Children around his age already teased him for his facial features, his overly large ears and nose, and his quirky personality. Instead of rolling in the mud and running through the grass, he'd spend time inside reading, working on the Millennium Falcon with his father, discussing politics and government with his mother. They all thought he was a conceited, spoiled, high and mighty brat. He was anything but. He was a sweet, kind-hearted, caring boy who loved being himself. He could be very down to Earth sometimes and brutally honest, but he tried. He tried to fit in, but the Force just wouldn't let him.

When he first discovered his abilities, he was thrilled and beyond happy, a voice in his head (which he assumed was his conscious before he knew better) encouraging him to use them. He could live up to his namesake and be just like his uncle. That made him curious, however. If it ran in the family, did his grandparents have it? He brought this question up to his mother, who began telling the tale of Darth Vader. As a boy, he thought of the tale as dark, of the Empire as evil, and sought only to be as powerful and worthy as his grandfather. He brought up his abilities to his parents, who at the time seemed supportive, but looking back, it was concern that they showed when he told them. So, they sent him off to Luke, who just so happened to be opening an academy for young Force-sensitives such as himself.

He was happy at first. He was learning to control his gift and become the galaxy's best Jedi. He excelled, showing exponential growth and abilities someone his age shouldn't be able to touch upon yet, much less master. He was every bit the Jedi he'd hoped to be and more. Eventually, though, he grew to resent everyone around him. That voice in his head was always telling him that he was destined for more, that he didn't need anyone else. They were weaknesses, dragging him down and keeping him from reaching his full potential. He refused to believe it at first, yet the seed of doubt had already been planted in his mind. He conferenced with Luke about it, who told him it was just his mind, that inner demon that strove to hold him back. He asked his mother about it the next time he saw her, pouring every worry out and clinging to her, begging her to tell him what was wrong with him. She comforted him, told him that it was a darkness trying to destroy the good in him, that he needed to be strong and overcome it. She wasn't wrong. For a while, Kylo found a way to ignore the voice, to push its existence to the back of his mind. It wasn't until he'd gotten a taste of the Dark Side during a training exercise that it returned, stronger.

"Embrace your anger and frustration," it might say. "Use your opponent's feelings against them." "Show no pity on those who are weaker than you." He became cold, merciless. He no longer trained with the image of a Jedi in mind. Instead, he trained with the image of himself ruling the galaxy with the Force at his disposal and nothing standing in his way. Luke, sensing the shift in him, tried to dissuade him from the path. Nothing good would come of it, just suffering and regret. The voice said otherwise, claiming, "Accomplishment, power, the respect of others, that is what you will gain." So he listened. Luke, worried for his nephew, warned Han and Leia. Han had come down hard on his son, livid and out of his mind. Endangering the lives of other academy students, abusing his gift, shaping himself into this dark, inhumane being, everything he wasn't and refused to be earlier in his life, was unacceptable. He thought his mother might understand, might sympathize or even relate despite not using the Force as he did. How wrong he was.

At first, she panicked. How could this man before her, with his empty, emotionless eyes and Force signature as strong, maybe even stronger than Luke's, be her boy, her son? She blamed it on herself, for ever putting the ludicrous idea in his head of training to be a Jedi, for not being there for him more often now that he didn't live with them anymore. Her panic quickly morphed into angry grief. She'd heard Luke's tales of how even those most pure could be corrupted by the Dark Side, like her father. In most cases, there was no turning back, and she feared she'd already lost him. However, even if she had, she still held onto the shred of hope that he'd one day return as the son she once knew. Her anger was directed towards herself, thinking she'd caused some chain reaction that resulted in this catastrophe. They grew distant. His father looked down on him in disappointment, despite wanting to help, and his mother could barely look at him at all, willpower the only thing keeping her together.

Kylo fumed. It wasn't his parents' right anymore to know about his life. They'd given up the right when they turned him over to Luke. He felt betrayed, abandoned, lost, like his training and life had lost meaning. "But it can regain meaning." That voice, always there when he needed it. "You still want to rule the galaxy, wield your abilities like your grandfather before you. Eliminate the Jedi. Join me, and I will teach you everything that Luke Skywalker is too afraid to even fathom. Allow me to instruct you in the ways of the Force." He was conflicted after that, remembering the message day after day until he finally came to a decision.

"What do you require of me, master?" The being instructed him that no student be allowed to live who attended the academy. If he were to become the most powerful, there should be no one to stand in his way, least of all, Luke Skywalker. In the dead of night, he slaughtered each and every one of them, relishing in their screams and broken looks. When none remained, he zeroed in on Luke. They stood across from each other, face to face, saber to saber. Luke asked him why. Kylo told him why not. Though they exchanged blows, neither could bring it upon themself to finish the battle once and for all. So when Luke had the upper hand, he couldn't bare to end Kylo's life.

The voice in Kylo's head went, "Now is your chance to end him. Embrace the Dark to eliminate the Light." In that moment, Luke saw the last flicker of Ben Solo die out in his eyes, replaced by a heartless monster. Said monster didn't hold back, and Luke, with no other options, fled, forced into exile by his own flesh and blood. "My name is Snoke, Supreme Leader of the galaxy, and you, Ben Solo, shall be my new apprentice." A shuttle descended, revealing black clad soldiers standing at the ready. "These are the Knights of Ren, and you are to join their ranks, known now only as Kylo Ren. You will leave **all** of your past behind, and serve under me for the First Order." The leader of the Knights extended a hand. Kylo took it without a thought, ready to accept his new life, his new purpose. From there he was initiated, crafted his own lightsaber, crossguard in design, finished with a fractured, but intact, kyber crystal. He grew out his hair, kept himself in prime condition, dedicated his very being to his training, until he was finally deemed ready to lead. He became head of the Knights of Ren, Snoke's star pupil, and he struck fear into the hearts of everyone who knew his name. Long gone was the boy he once was, replaced with the entity that was Kylo Ren.

When his skills were deemed sufficient enough, he was assigned the position of co-commander aboard the Dreadnought Class Star Destroyer the _Finalizer_ alongside one General Armitage Hux. He thought he could easily maintain control through the usual, intimidation, threats, his Force abilities, but the ginger was not impressed in the slightest. It was infuriating to say the least. Here he was and out of nowhere comes some yahoo with a well known name thinking he could run everything. He knew from there that they would butt heads, constantly, perhaps nonstop. The stormtroopers were easily manipulated, save for one Captain Phasma, who was an anomaly all by herself, as was the crew, who cowered in his presence. For the most part, life was good nowadays.

Sometimes, his thoughts would wander though, and he'd start to miss it. The beautiful landscape of his homeworld would be a welcome site as opposed to the interior of a ship, whose recycled air was nothing compared to fresh air of the outdoors. He missed being able to practice his piloting with his father, rewiring the Falcon, riding on Chewbacca's shoulders. He especially missed the embrace that made him feel safe, the eyes that radiated understanding and love, and the sweet voice of his mother, who often flitted across his thoughts when he was otherwise not occupied. He didn't even know if he **could** still interact with people, hold a steady conversation that didn't involve undermining, insulting, him always being right, or shouting. He shoved those thoughts away, focusing on the task at hand, which was making sure the _Finalizer_ ran smoothly and that each mission was a complete success. Up until now, he'd always accomplished those tasks. He wouldn't let one little slip derail him, however, and he wouldn't show anyone, **especially** Hux, any sign of weakness.

XxX

If nervousness wasn't a sign of weakness in Kylo's book, he didn't know what was. He wore a dark navy blue tight fit shirt that outlined the muscles and abs of his upper body. A black belt with a First Order buckle went around the waistband of his black pants, which covered part of his black combat boots. Around him was a dark, hooded cloak, which would be used to conceal his lightsaber and identity if need be. He anxiously stood by Hux's door, wondering if it might be better to knock or wait for him to emerge. The question was answered for him as the doors slid open. Hux emerged wearing a deep emerald green belted tunic, black pants, and boots. He wore a long waist coat that matched his tunic, billowing out behind him sometimes when he walked. It hid his two blasters nicely, and framed him just so, making the look appear natural. He folded his collar down before meeting Ren's eyes.

"Is this the first time you've ever been anywhere without those ghastly robes weighing you down?" he asked, giving Kylo an appreciative once over. The dark Jedi merely stared at Hux transfixed. "What?" he questioned.

"Nothing, I just… I've never seen you wear something so… relaxed outside of uniform."

"Yet the sweats and tank top from last night don't count?" The redhead raised an eyebrow.

"I hardly think you were relaxed when you were called to the medbay," he retorted.

The general responded, "Point. *gestures forward* Shall we?" The two made their way to one of the shuttles, choosing to forgo Ren's personal one to draw less attention. Docking in one of the planet's hangars, they exited the shuttle and headed for the nearest cantina. Hux reasoned that they could gain more information that way, about the planet itself and perhaps intel on the Resistance. Kylo, however, still couldn't shake off the feeling of uneasiness.

"I've had too many bad experiences in cantinas. Letting my guard down for even a second could cost one of us our lives." Hux assured him that nothing of the sort would happen as they walked in, drawing the attention of the majority of the customers, who quickly went back to what they were doing after a glance. Hux headed over to the bar to order them drinks while Kylo saved them a booth that faced the rest of the cantina. From here, he could see each group, pick out the thoughts of each person more clearly, determining that they were no threat, for now. He was startled out of his trance when the general placed a cup in front of him. He sniffed the contents warily, making a face of disgust.

"It's not poisoned *takes a drink* nor is it anything strange." Kylo took a skeptical sip, holding back a cough when he recognized the burn of whiskey down his throat. He was never one to drink anyway.

"What have you gathered?" Hux threw back his drink with a satisfied sound and put his cup down.

"Farther into the city, there's a market district that should contain all the supplies we need-"

"Which are?"

"I need to restock the med pack I used on you yesterday and there are also more… personal items I'd like to acquire before we return to the _Finalizer_." This piqued Ren's interest.

"What sort of… _personal items_?" he asked, eyes betraying his thoughts. Hux glowered at him.

"Nothing of the sort you're referring to, that's for certain." The ravenette held up his hands, not meaning to give that impression, but not taking the question back.

"I didn't intend to make you think that, Hux. I'm merely curious." The ginger observed him for a moment and sighed.

"If you must know, my diet can differ substantially from that of the crew's depending on what I've been eating and for how long. There are certain foods I can only access when off the ship, so I plan on stocking up to avoid any more side trips." Kylo hummed, amused.

"The great General Hux is picky with his food despite his stormtroopers' best efforts to make something edible in our kitchens."

"It's not them that's the problem, it's what they're given to work with. Our usual meals are cheap and easy to mass produce as opposed to having a banquet each night for the thousands upon thousands of crew members on board. If it was within our budget, I'd make sure that meals actually tasted good instead of just being tolerable." Kylo almost smiled at the idea. "One can only go so long eating rations and what passes for food before his body's had enough, and-" he paused, facing his ear towards the crowd of people, a curious look on his face. Kylo felt it too, reaching out with the Force until he caught a dangerous train of thought.

'… _that redhead over there? It's General Hux, and he'll regret setting foot in Resistance territory…'_ His hand instinctively reached for his lightsaber should the Twi'lek try anything.

"… _had the nerve to show up here. He didn't even try to disguise himself. He could've at least done something with that ginger mop on his head. We can still tell he's general even without the uniform…"_ He clenched a fist in his lap. How dare they have the gall to insult his hair!

"Just ignore it," Kylo said lowly.

"So I assume if someone talked about your hair, you'd brush it off and go about your day?"

"Wha-? They didn't… say anything about it, did they?" He idly fiddled with a strand by his shoulder.

"No, but we're not welcome here."

" **You're** not welcome here. **My** face isn't widely known, unlike yours. Would you like to leave?"

"Before conflict arises, yes." The two got up and exited through the back door, the Twi'lek following from a distance. Hux stopped them as they rounded a corner of the building. "She's following us."

"I know, I can sense her." He unclipped his saber, about to ignite it when Hux caught his hand.

"Shout to the Resistance where we are, why don't you? You might as well leave your mother flowers while you're at it. What if you're seen? You'll compromise us all!" He thrust a blaster into his hands instead. "Tell me you know how to use one of these?"

"It's been a while, *clicks off safety* but yes. I haven't always had this *clips saber to belt*, you know." Before Hux could comment on that, Kylo whirled around and fired off shots at the Twi'lek, hitting a leg and her shooting hand.

Gripping her by the throat, he demanded to know, "Who sent you?!" She guffawed.

"It is the First Order that shall bow before the Resistance. She's found him, you know. **Him**. Kylo Ren's days are numbered, as are yours, General." He snapped her neck, her head turned almost 180 degrees, releasing his chokehold and letting the body fall to the ground.

"She could've been lying," Hux reasoned.

"She wasn't." Ren replied. "Rey's there, with him, I can sense it. That is why I must complete my training, why we shouldn't delay any further." He handed back the blaster and wiped his hand on his pants. "Besides, do you have any idea how to find what you're looking for in the market?"

"No, but it shouldn't be hard." They began their walk into the city, passing by a variety of houses and forestry, rivers winding through trees ever so often. Eventually, they reached the market, which had a culmination of different shops both indoors and out. The sight looked like an upturned puzzle box there were so many shops.

"You were saying?" Kylo asked. Hux frowned, scanning the area before a faint scent caught his attention. He sniffed the air, the smell of something edible leading him on. "Hux? Where are you going?"

" *sniff sniff* Just trust me." After winding through crowds and buildings, they finally stopped at an out of the way store near the back of the market. Gently pushing the door open, Hux smiled at the sight of food, actual food, lining the shelves of the store. Kylo gave him an incredulous look.

"You could smell this all the way from there?"

' _Well, I had a bit of help,'_ he projected to him. ' _I skimmed until I found someone thinking about food, and they pointed me in this direction.'_ Ren didn't seem convinced.

"With my array of delicacies, I don't see how he couldn't. Welcome, gentlemen." Hux regarded the shopkeeper kindly.

"Thank you. Would you happen to have…" Kylo paid them no mind as he looked at all of the food available. It seemed that there was something from every the current and surrounding systems. He recognized some things, but a lot of it looked like it could kill a person if they so much as touched it.

"There you are, sir." Kylo looked up to see Hux holding several different sized bags of food. Rolling his eyes, he joined his co-worker and they left to find someone selling medical supplies. They ended up with bacta patches, bacta gel, bandages, forceps, and latex gloves. "You haven't reaggravated any of your injuries, have you?" Hux asked him after a time. Kylo shook his head.

"Nothing feels injured. If something was, I'd be able to tell." The general nodded. "Why such an interest in my well being?" Hux huffed.

"Because, contrary to popular belief, I care, Ren. I may not like you, but I don't wish to see you suffer at the hands of someone who thinks of everyone as beneath them. I've seen you return from your "training." If you're to endure that again, it will be when you're at full strength." Kylo didn't know what to say, nor what to think as they returned to their shuttle.

"I don't need your pity," he settled on. "I know my limits."

"It's not pity, it's common sense. You and the Supreme Leader will thank me later when you're actually able to move after the completion of your training." Back on the _Finalizer_ , the crew observed their general, back in uniform, standing like usual on the bridge with a hand behind his back, eating an apple with the other. They stared, bewildered at his behavior, though it wouldn't have been the first time. Every now and then, he would be munching away at something during a shift. They'd learned not to ask him about it. Meanwhile, Kylo was meditating in his quarters. Something was off about Hux. His behavior had been odd since their interaction in the medbay. He was a little more self conscious, concerned, _different_. Maybe it was because of the reveal of his Force-sensitivity, or the surge of something akin to worry when he found him back on Starkiller, but the general was definitely hiding something. He was determined to find out what. Perhaps he could bring up the matter to the Supreme Leader. He had an uncanny way of finding out everything that happened anyway. Still, something wouldn't stop bothering him. How had Hux known of his parentage? Only he and the Supreme Leader knew and even if Hux could have seen it in his mind, Kylo would've been aware of an intrusion. Hux was just a walking ginger mystery, wasn't he?

XxX

It was another three days before a lone planet appeared in the middle of the Unknown Regions. Hux recognized it from Snoke's description: a sphere of smoke and rock, dark as a storm cloud, small and left alone, a perfect, out of the way location for his Base of Operations. When they were over the atmosphere, he made his way to Kylo's quarters, not expecting the sight that met him as the door slid open to his access code. Dressed in old, worn Jedi robes, like dark sand, holding a tattered photograph with a blaster in his lap, sitting on the edge of his bed, was Kylo Ren. He'd thought the Force user would be in his usual attire, babbling to the charred remains of Darth Vader's helmet. At the moment, he was looking at a broken shell of a man who was baring his soul and raw emotions for the whole galaxy to see. Kylo didn't seem to notice his presence.

"Mother, father… Grandfather… Lend me your strength and willpower. Help me to survive the trials that await me and overcome the obstacles I'll face… Don't let the Dark consume me, but allow it to serve me alongside the Light…" When he finally looked up, he looked betrayed and like a scared child. " *gulp* How long… How long have you…?" Hux closed the door behind him, slowly approaching his co-commander. Kylo pushed his belongings to the side and shrunk in on himself. Hux took a seat next to him.

"We don't have to go down there yet," he said softly, gently, testing the waters. "If you're not ready to go back…" He didn't finish the sentence.

"I must be, but…" He sounded so lost, so unsure of himself. Hux requested he look up. He met the gaze of confident jade eyes.

"You are. This is no time to doubt yourself. I don't want to have saved you just to watch you cower in front of the Supreme Leader." He saw heat and fire return to the younger man's eyes. ' _There's the Ren I know.'_ "I believe a change of clothing is in order for you then?" Receiving confirmation, Hux waited for him outside and, when they were both ready, proceeded to Kylo's personal shuttle. Once planetside, the dark Jedi took a few deep, steadying breaths. The landscape was desolate, save for the blackened, shriveled trunks of what should've been trees. There was a constant foggy mist that hung in the air, obscuring vision and giving you the sense of someone watching from the shadows. Rocky terrain and undisturbed earth surrounded them and a path led up to a tall, ominous structure in the distance. Snoke's citadel. Walking in time with each other, they approached. Shoving the door open, they proceeded to climb a long, winding staircase, passing by floors of dark walls, locked doors, and pale lighting. The stairs stopped, revealing huge double doors that no doubt led to the throne room where Snoke would be seated. Exchanging one last look, they entered together, footsteps reverberating off the walls of the vast room, steeling themselves for the conversation ahead. Snoke looked up, dark eyes taking in the image of his two highest officers. It was time.

Closing A/N: How much does Snoke know about everything? I don't even know yet. All I know is that he makes things interesting next chapter.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Snoke's Trials

A/N: Snoke makes things interesting here, and I promise that I'm not hating on Kylo. Love him to death, but he gets shown up quite a bit in this chapter. Things will look up for him though… Eventually… Also, I'm horrible at writing on character, so Snoke is probably majorly OOC. Sue me. Also, since I don't think I've done one yet-

Disclaim: Star Wars and all characters, plots, and objects borrowed from it are property of… *sigh* _**Disney**_. I own nothing but my (non profit) story and ideas.

Armitage felt not quite trepidation radiate off of Kylo as he kneeled in front of Snoke. The being in question stood, having to be at least between nine and ten feet tall, with grey and black robes covering his thin yet powerful frame. His wrinkled and scarred skin didn't fool either of them. They knew he was the most powerful being in the galaxy at the moment. His long, spindly fingers were hidden beneath the sleeves of his robes and his charcoal, soulless eyes bored into them as he approached. Hux bowed as a show of respect (he would not kneel to Snoke, regardless of rank and situation) as he stopped in front of them, presence making them both uneasy. The dark Jedi removed his helmet, setting it aside, before unclipping his saber, holding it in what he hoped was a steady, still hand. They all stayed frozen in their positions for what seemed like an eternity, before the ginger leapt out of the way of an intense heat that swept right for him, eyes wide as it singed a few locks of his hair. As it swept past him, he heard the crackle of Ren's lightsaber igniting. Looking up, he was met with the sight of Snoke bearing down on Kylo, red blade on red blade.

"I see your instincts and reflexes are still intact despite your loss against the girl," he growled, instilling a rage in his apprentice and the desire to impress. Shoving his master back, the ravenette took up a battle stance, glare present on his face, weapon at the ready, the Force thrumming eagerly through him. "Do not disappoint your audience nor myself." With a warcry, Kylo lunged forward, swinging wildly. It missed Snoke by a mile, flying from his hand. As the ancient being was about to strike the "final blow," the blade arched back into Kylo's hand like a boomerang, slashing one of Snoke's arms. Ren used the opportunity to hack and slash at the other Force user, keeping him on his toes. Though he blocked them without so much as a thought, Kylo was beginning to wear down his defenses. Borrowing a move from Rey's playbook, he aimed a well placed kick at his midsection. When it connected, he swung his saber like a helicopter blade, creating a gash on Snoke's cheek. Before he could strike again, his opposition's red blade met his own and, with a lazy Force push at best, Kylo was flat on his back, defenseless, saber lying just out of reach. He found a crimson blade at his throat. Hux looked about ready to intervene before Kylo held him in place with the Force. ' _Don't,'_ he warned internally. Green eyes of, once again, concern washed over him as Snoke withdrew his saber, deactivating it. "You've gotten better, but you still have much to learn, Kylo Ren," he addressed his apprentice indifferently. "Your task for now, General, is complete. You may leave."

"Forgive me, Supreme Leader, but…" He was in no way arguing with someone who could end him in the blink of an eye, but he couldn't- no, **wouldn't** -leave his comrade here after bearing witness to the fight before him. Snoke had fought as if he were merely warming up. Training must be torture compared to that. Snoke gazed at him expectantly. "But I simply cannot leave Ren here given the current circumstances." The black clad warrior gawked at the general's audacity to refuse the Supreme Leader something. He was either very brave or very foolish, perhaps a bit of both. Snoke glowered.

"What did you say?" Hux had the nerve to meet his eyes before quickly averting his gaze.

"Supreme Leader, if I may," the knight spoke up, back on his feet, sweeping black waves out of his eyes. Snoke redirected his attention. With a gulp, he continued. "The general feels… obligated to stay on account of my well being. That is," he added quickly, "He wants to ensure he's not suddenly one commander short on his ship." He sent the ginger a sincere look. "He saved my life. I feel it necessary to grant him his request. It's not as if he could steal or share your wisdom regardless, given his lack of Force-sensitivity." Hux felt a rush of gratitude for Kylo in that moment. After brief contemplation, Snoke's face broke into a sinister grin. The general wished to stay? Fine. Both men instantly regretted their words.

"Very well. *strolls over to throne and takes a seat* I will allow you to stay, on one condition." He withdrew something from inside his robes and threw it at the redhead, who caught it in surprise. He peered down at it cautiously, hardly believing his eyes.

"Supreme Leader?" he inquired, fighting to keep his voice even and steady.

"You shall spar with Kylo. Impress me, and you may stay." The dark Jedi looked between his master and co-worker in alarm. Hux ignited the lightsaber, crimson like Snoke's, but with a more curved, versatile handle. He gave a few experimental waves, listening to the hum of energy emanating from the laser. He faced Ren uncertainly. If they must fight for him to remain, so be it. Kylo, reluctantly, summoned his saber back into his hand, the crossguard igniting once more.

"You don't have to do this, Hux," he reasoned. "You're no match for me, and I do not wish to harm you."

"I'll take my chances, Ren. Time to see if you're nothing but talk and romanticized stories." The newfound confidence startled them both, but the knight was ready with a retort.

"Then I suggest you not hold back." Slowly, they circled each other, Ren swinging his saber absentmindedly around his hand, Hux observing his every move. Lightning quick, Kylo had swung at Hux, who deflected the blade in the knick of time, countering. Kylo tried a riposte that the ginger barely evaded. It went on like that for some time, Kylo having the upper hand and Hux, with his inexperience, struggling to execute more than basic moves. Eventually, the two were caught in a standoff, blades locked, Ren hovering over Hux. "I won't strike you down. There's still time to surrender and leave." The ginger shook his head adamantly, drawing a frustrated noise from the Force user.

"You won't change my mind." He shut his eyes after forcing the separation, facing sideways away from the other two. He lowered his weapon, let everything flow through and wash over him. He focused on the chilly air that tasted of a rained out forest fire. He focused on the hum of their sabers, the breathing pattern of each individual. He felt the stone, sturdy, underneath his feet, the angry confusion of Ren, and the now curious Snoke. Strangely, he even felt tendrils of the Force in the air, surrounding and flowing through all of them. Then, there was the familiar presence of a sort of old friend, one he hadn't been in frequent touch with since before his academy days. With it came ferocity and, much to his dread, a chance of him losing self control now that he was a bit out of practice. Nevertheless, he channeled its energy, which pumped through his veins and clawed at the walls of his mind. It was refreshing, almost a relief.

"You fool!" Kylo shouted, feeling a sense of deja vu at Hux's actions, a scene he'd like to not have to repeat. He sprinted at Hux, saber at the ready, swinging down powerfully. That's when Hux's saber rose to block the blow, raised over his shoulder, pointed downwards. Snoke sat forward, leaning towards the action now. Kylo let out a shocked breath. The general slowly turned his head towards the knight, narrowed now darkened and black outlined eyes snapping open to reveal emerald green irises and tall, thin pupils. With a snarl, he wrenched their blades apart and launched a flurry of strikes of varying styles at him. Any offense thrown back at Hux for the next few minutes was parried, blocked, or deflected away despite the black clad warrior's best efforts. Leaping like a cat, Hux somersaulted over Ren, landing on his feet behind him and holding his blade to the front of his throat. He gripped said throat with his free hand, sharp, dark nails digging into the skin, growling.

"Enough!" Snoke shouted, voice echoing throughout the room. Hux silenced and relaxed his grip, deactivating the saber and lowering his arms, nails restored to their normal length and color. Kylo stood down, saber deactivated and returned to his hip. As Snoke rose yet again, Kylo met the ginger's fierce gaze; it slowly softened to its usual strict stare as his eyes and their shade returned to normal. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, looking up to the sound of slow clapping. "Well done, General. *turns to Kylo* It seems you have a habit of being outmatched by lowly amateurs, Kylo. Perhaps the completion of your training will strengthen you, and eliminate unnecessary weaknesses." Summoning the borrowed saber from Hux's hand, he made his way to a door in the far right shadowed corner of the room, saying, "We shall begin tomorrow, as usual. Feel free to claim a room, General." before disappearing through it. They both let out breaths they didn't know they were holding when he vanished.

"What was that? What happened to you?" Kylo questioned, retrieving his mask. Hux clenched his fists, flexing his fingers and examining his nails, not looking up.

"As I told you before, you'll find I'm full of surprises. I… let myself go, let my self-restraint slip a bit."

"Slip? A bit? You were downright feral! You would've slit my throat had the Supreme Leader not said something!"

"I would **not** have. Besides, were you not about to take my head off had my demeanor not changed?" Kylo closed his mouth, smothering his protests.

"We should get some rest for the night," he answered instead, leading the way to his chambers a few floors down. It was almost bare inside, nothing but a bed, dresser, and nightstand. A small 'fresher and a window were the only real "interesting" features of the room, if it could be called such. Hux thought cell fit it better. Kylo collapsed on the bed with an exhausted sigh, not looking forward to the next day's events. Home sweet home…

"Am I to reside in a different room then?" Hux asked a few feet away.

"If you've got the key to get in, then yes. If not, you're welcome to stay here." He hoped his message wasn't misinterpreted. He would prefer Hux have his own room, but he felt more comfortable with the company, less like he would rot away on his own. Hux observed the small bed. Kylo took up about three quarters of its available space lying down. He could retrieve any additional clothing and items from the shuttle. Sharing a bed, however, with **Kylo Ren** of all people, was a terrible idea. Maybe he should've thought his request through more. Nightfall had arrived and Kylo had stripped down to his trousers and undershirt, sliding under the thin covers; Hux did the same, folding his uniform and placing it on the floor at the foot of the bed. They lay facing away from each other, the redhead trying to keep his shivering to a minimum. Just as he was dozing off, he felt himself sliding off the edge of the bed. Cursing, he curled in on himself, hoping that his body heat would keep him warm and that he took up as little space as possible. On the opposite side, the ravenette tried rearranging his limbs so as not to disturb Hux, but it always ended with him half hanging over the bed. He lay on his side, trying not to think too much about the other shifting away from him. Hopefully, sleep would be merciful.

XxX

Kylo awoke to an empty bed, hoping yesterday's events had been a horrible nightmare or sick, twisted figment of his imagination. The pitter patter (Had Hux always walked that lightly?) of feet dismissed his hopes though, and he saw the 'fresher door close as he opened his eyes, weak rays of sunlight attempting to illuminate the room, shining softly on his weary face. He sat up slowly, drawing his robes into his hand off the floor. On his feet, he got dressed, smoothing down his robes and untangling his hair as Hux emerged. He'd donned his uniform and boots, hair unkempt and wild without his product and brush. It hung slightly past his ears, going every which way, and he frowned when he found Kylo staring, lips slightly parted at the sight. "Are you ready?" he asked after regaining his composure, summoning his saber to his hand from the nightstand. Hux nodded, stifling a yawn as they exited the room. Ascending the stairs, they once again found themselves in the throne room. Snoke stood at its center, eyes closed and hands clasped together, resting in front of him. Hux walked off to the side to watch as Ren continued forward, stopping a few meters away from his superior, letting his eyes fall shut.

It was then that Kylo winced, hand immediately going to his head as pain ripped through his skull. The first image brought to his mind was of his defeat at the hands of Rey, in third person. He saw how he had her ready to give up leaning over the cliff, and her comeback. He forced the image away with the image of him running a saber through her heart with a predatory grin, her face one of defeat, mouth wide open, eyes unbelieving. ' _Good,'_ Snoke said in his head. Hux looked up as he too heard the voice, though not directed at him. Kylo stared at his master, face slightly contorted as he battled the mental onslaught. This had never been one of his first trials before, but he was fully prepared, or so he thought. The next few images were of his time at Luke's academy, his positive interactions, affection from Luke, the first time he won a saber fight in training. He replied with the images of his slaughter, of his blood soaked robes and not guilty conscious. He relived his duel with Luke and how he drove him away, never to be seen or heard from again until now. He imagined Luke's petrified eyes as he realized what he'd done. Hux flinched at the exchange. Kylo was required to endure this, to respond in such a manner?

"Hmm…" Snoke voiced aloud. His brows furrowed and went for a different approach. The knight suddenly saw an image of his mother, smiling warmly at him, but something wasn't right. Her eyes were full of resigned sadness, yet tender and full of love. He inhaled her familiar perfume, jasmine and honeysuckle. Kylo was in the image now only a few feet away from her, and he reached out. She extended her hand in turn and, just as their fingertips brushed, a red blade pierced her chest from behind. She spat out blood, but her eyes didn't leave her son's.

He watched the life slowly drain from them, screaming out in agony, "NO!" He felt his legs buckle, but he half caught himself, now in a kneeling position. He watched the image morph into a dark, low lit room. Starkiller Base, he recognized. Looking up, he saw the Wookie, staring down intensely at him. Eyes falling forward, he watched himself stride across the bridge in the center of the room, mask on, with a purpose. He instantly knew what he was seeing. He shook his head, refusing to relive the memory, but to no avail. Hux watched on helplessly, not knowing how to shut the sight out of his mind, feeling Kylo's anguish. Kylo watched as Han Solo walked onto the bridge.

" _Ben!" he barked out, stopping past Kylo in his tracks. He turned around effortlessly, robes billowing behind him._

" _Han Solo. I've been waiting for this day for a long time." As Han solemnly took a few steps forward, he saw the scavenger girl and traitorous FN-2187 finally appear above. The moonlight from their entrance acting as a sort of spotlight as Han continued advancing towards him._

" _Take off that mask," he demanded, determined. "You don't need it."_

" _What do you think you'll see if I do?" he responded._

" _*stops* The face of my son." His voice has softened slightly, eyes betraying his emotions. Past Kylo complied, removing the mask and meeting his father's gaze. Han took it all in, the features he recognized from his boy's childhood, how handsome he'd grown up to be, even if Kylo didn't think so. He saw his father draw in a breath._

" _Your son is gone," he hissed. "He was weak and foolish, like his father, so I destroyed him." Han continued forward._

" _That's what Snoke wants you to believe, but it's not true. My son is alive."_

" _No," Kylo denied. "The Supreme Leader is wise."_

" _Snoke is using you for your power," Han reasoned. "When he gets what he wants, he'll crush you… You know it's true." Han had a tearful look on his face, desperately trying to save the knight, voice dropping in volume. Past Kylo regarded his father._

" _It's too late," he answered, venom gone from his voice._

" _No it's not," came the immediate reply. Han took a step closer. "Leave here with me. Come home," he persuaded. "We miss you," he whispered. We. He and Leia. Not just his mother this time._

The actual Kylo had been taking slow steps forward towards his past self, finally a few feet away. He could see his own face, as if watching a holonet video, when he stopped moving. He watched his eyes soften, resolve beginning to crack.

" _I'm being torn apart," he uttered brokenly. He knew his orders, but… "I want to be free of this pain… and I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?"_

" _Yes, anything," Han insisted, now face to face with Kylo. Past Kylo looked down, dropping his mask at his feet and unclipping his saber from his waist. He held it out in his hands and his father looked at him disbelievingly, pained. Kylo met his gaze once more, with teary eyes, extending his hands further. Han grabbed hold of it, the light from the outside dying away as they were cast in semi darkness._

Snoke watched past Kylo's hesitation, fury bubbling within. The real Kylo leapt forward, grabbing the arm of and shouting at his past self. "No! It doesn't have to end like this! This isn't how it has to be!" Han smiled in a melancholy fashion at him, saying that everything would be just fine. With a roar, Snoke manipulated the memory, causing past Kylo to lift the actual Kylo up in the air, immobile. The memory returned to its rightful state, father and son examining each other's souls. Kylo shouted, pleading with himself.

 _Rey, Finn, and Chewbacca looked on in anticipation, holding their breath. His saber ignited by a hand that was not his own, sliding through his father's chest. Finn jumped back in horror, Rey screamed out in denial, and Chewbacca howled at the loss of his best friend. Kylo forced the blade through deeper as Han grunted in pain, eyes surprised at the intensity of the attack. With heavy exhales, Kylo breathed, "Thank you." He retracted the blade in one tug. Han's hand rose slowly, cupping his face, and, with the last of his strength, knowing his son could hear him, thought, 'I know… there's still… Light in you… son.'_

Kylo felt tears roll down his cheeks as he watch his father tumble downwards, hand slipping, taking the love and warmth away with his touch. He never knew that his father had thought that in his dying moments, never knew that he cared that deeply.

 _He followed his father's body with his eyes as he fell, and as his vision leveled out in front of him, his lips parted in shock. What had he done?_

As the actual Kylo let out a sob, Snoke roared, once again manipulating the memory. After the bowcaster shot by a distraught Chewbacca hits, the memory freezes aside from himself, and he automatically stands back up, whirling around. He clenches his fist and the actual Kylo was on the receiving end of a Force choke. He felt his body collide with the memory of Starkiller's wall as he's thrust backwards, vision becoming blurrier by the second as his past self increased the pressure with a snarl. Hux feared for him and, with as much vigor as he could muster, mentally projected to him, " _ **KYLO!**_ " The ravenette snapped his eyes open, irises glowing a bright Sith golden yellow. In both the throne room and memory, he met the eyes of his enemy, snapping their Force hold on him. Landing on his feet, he gave them a taste of their own medicine, Force choking and lifting them off their feet with a blood-curdling scream. He sent his past self flying back, watching him drop like a rock into the void of Starkiller. He sent Snoke sailing backwards, crashing into his throne with a sickening thud. Cracks appeared in the floor leading towards Hux and Snoke, and his outburst shook the citadel like a mini earthquake. It was deathly silent aside from Kylo's heaving breaths and Snoke, who was grinning from ear to ear, struggling to get up. It was then that Kylo fell to his knees, hands reaching out to catch himself before he collapsed completely. Hux rushed over to him, crouching down, hand hovering over his shoulder, unsure of whether he should, or could, touch him.

"H-Hux," he stuttered out quietly. "…Thank you…" He pulled his hand to his shoulder with the Force, needing the touch to ground him for a moment. Hux would be his pinprick of Light in the Darkness that threatened to consume him. He stood, prompting Hux to back away and give the two some space. He ignited his lightsaber, its laser flickering violently in response to the amount of the Force pulsing through him. He regarded Snoke with abhorrence, waiting for his master to make the first move. He did, igniting his own blade and advancing towards him. Kylo began to move as well, and when they met, sparks flew; the air buzzed with too much energy and Hux was left wondering why the First Order hadn't already conquered the galaxy with these two leading the way. Their movements were fluid and sharp, almost too fast to keep up with, so much so that it made his head spin just trying. Squinting, and thanking his enhanced eyesight, he could just make out Kylo, who was keeping perfect time with Snoke's swift blows. Seconds bled into minutes, and at last, the fight came to an end, Ren slumping exhaustedly against the main door.

"You must let go of your weaknesses, of those who caused you emotional pain. They will cost you your life! Regardless, I'm very pleased with your progress, Kylo. We shall begin again with a new test tomorrow." He took a seat on his throne, unlocking the main doors of the room. Hux filed out after Kylo, who all but dragged himself to his room. Hux claimed that he needed to retrieve something from the shuttle and would return soon.

"I'll leave my door open," he replied as the redhead continued down the stairs. Some time later, Hux returned, chewing and crunching the last of his meal slowly, when he saw a tray of food lying beside Kylo on the bed. The knight looked up when he heard the door shut. "I should've told you before you left that we were getting food. Forgive me." Hux was unnerved by that. Kylo noticed the shift in his mood. "I… Your concern saved me from what would've been a world of pain and disappointment from the Supreme Leader. You also kept me grounded during my little… episode earlier. For that, I'm indebted to you. I thought I might try a different conversational approach. Hmmph. I'm not my usual self either, not when I'm like this." Hux sat on the opposite side of the bed, inspecting his still golden eyes.

"How long does it usually last?" he asked. The ravenette was much more tolerable this way. Kylo hummed in thought.

"A few hours at most, never more than three or four, though I should feel its effects start to fade by now." Hux grabbed some of the bread from the plate, taking a thoughtful bite. They held civil conversation like that for a while before Kylo got up to shower. After he returned, Hux took his shower, emerging minutes later to find Kylo sitting on the bed with his legs crossed, in a meditative trance with furrowed brows. Toweling off his hair and in a comfortable pair of sleep clothes, he slid under the covers on his side, careful not to disturb his now… roommate he supposed. As his eyes began to slide closed, he felt Kylo take his hand and place it on his knee. He glanced up to see his face relax, so he left it there, falling into a dreamless sleep, memories of the day filed away in the recesses of his mind. Kylo smiled, feeling himself slowly fade from the conscious world.

Closing A/N: Uh… Hmm. That didn't turn out how I expected. The middle got a bit too feelsy for my taste, but there you go. Also, Kylo's weird- weirder? -behavior? Don't know where that came from. Comments?


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four: And So It Began, An Understanding

A/N: A continuation of last chapter's events and then a brief switch over to Phasma.

It had been about two weeks since their arrival at Snoke's citadel and Hux was astounded by the changes in Kylo's character. Getting to know him was something he didn't expect to happen, but it was inevitable he supposed. Kylo, despite his (to everyone else) intimidating appearance and abilities, longed to fit in. Deep down, he wished to be able to sit with the crew and be open, be himself. He explained that the Matt the Radar Technician stunt was for that reason, but he'd been so out of practice being a somewhat normal human being that it was a spectacular failure. He'd altered their memories of course, an ability that he was still trying to improve greatly upon, changing around the features of his face, the timbre and sound of his voice, and erasing his revelation. As far as they were concerned, Matt was a transferred crew member that joined the _Finalizer_ and left the next week.

The master of the Knights of Ren also enjoyed visiting other planets and systems For the knowledge of new cultures, sure, but particularly for the thrill of discovering new races and creatures. As a boy, his mother had taken him along on her diplomatic travels. He'd been overjoyed at every new thing he discovered. "I love learning. What can I say? It may not… seem so at times, but I do. I just… haven't had the opportunity to enjoy it for quite some time."

"You don't enjoy learning more about your… abilities?" Hux questioned.

"It's not that. It's thrilling to learn a new ability, to be able to manipulate the Force to do things I'd only dreamed of, but I want to learn about other things as well. Negotiations and strategy for one-"

"You arguing every one of my points during meetings is you wanting to learn?" Hux asked disbelievingly.

"I do not understand it all, hence my questioning. I'm only responding to your claims with my own," he growled, trying not to raise his voice.

"If you don't understand something, you're welcome to ask. I can lecture and answer your questions at the same time."

"Can you?" Kylo challenged. Hux crossed his arms with a huff.

"If I couldn't multitask, do you think my ship would be in perfect order, running as smooth as it does?" The knight answered, throwing something at Hux with the Force.

"You have a somewhat competent crew, and they seem to hang onto your every word. For what reason, I can't say." Hux froze the button down thrown at him with his hand.

"What are you-?"

"You said you can multitask. Prove it."

"I don't-" One of his boots flew at his head before he could finish the sentence and he ducked before it could make impact. Kylo clicked his tongue.

"Is one item truly all you can manage?" The ginger scowled, holding up his discarded boot with the Force with his other hand. "You say you can multitask well. However, you put most of your focus into one task and hardly focus on the others. That. Won't. Do." With each word, he punctuated it with by hurling another object. Hux froze all of them, but not before he felt a kick to the back of his knee. He stumbled, losing his concentration. The ravenette caught the five objects before they could hit the ground, dodging each of Hux's attempts to hit him. "You'd be more efficient if you learned my way."

Straightening to his full height, he hissed, "And what way would that be?" Kylo stood to his full height as well, an inch or two taller than Hux.

"Training." The redhead scoffed.

"Don't think I'm clueless to your intentions, Ren. Baiting me simply won't work." Kylo adopted a smug grin, making Hux's irritation rise.

"Is that so? I know you're always up for a challenge. Enhance your Force abilities and perhaps you can prove me wrong." He could see the gears beginning to turn in the general's head, frustration mounting.

"You assume you're better than I am at everything?"

"I know I am," Kylo proclaimed. Hux calmed a bit, slight smirk and raised eyebrows visible.

"That is where you're wrong. There are two things I'm better at than you are. First," he claimed, raising a hand to a recent saber cut on the knight's exposed arm. "I can heal." Kylo watched his skin knit itself back together, yet he felt as though Hux, who was running a hand through his hair nervously, was holding back. He saw that hand move down his back, stopping just above his waist. He saw the man visibly relax as his cut finished healing. "Second," ' _You can't get inside my head,'_ he thought to him. Ren sought to prove him wrong, gently probing at his mind at first. He was met with a strong barrier, but he checked every bit of it for a crack, a weakness that would allow him in. After fruitless minutes of searching, he redoubled his efforts, pushing harder at the barrier, hand extended. If possible, it thickened, strengthened, and pushed back, attempting to shove him out of his mind. Hux looked at him with that same expression. ' _The more you try, the harder it'll be. I've had too much practice for you to even leave a scratch on my barriers.'_ Releasing a huge breath, he snagged his hand back and left Hux's mind, a look of strain on his face. "Although," he continued, "I don't know how successful I'd be trying to get into yours." Kylo steeled himself.

"You're welcome to try." He felt Hux's presence in his head, testing the waters. He could hear the thoughts at the forefront of his mind, but nothing else. That's when he felt experimental prodding. An attempt here, an attempt there, at certain parts of the barrier. He seemed to be searching for something specific. That's when he felt him… not quite leave, but he was barely there, almost unnoticeable. He watched the ginger's eyes fall shut, still alert. That's when he felt him bypass the barrier with ease, both their reactions of shock flooding his mind. Hux immediately left, a bit shaken. "How did you do that?" The Supreme Leader had a harder time probing his mind even if he wasn't trying. If he was, relying on brute force to create a gaping hole that he could slip through without much effort was his strategy. His mental barrier was still perfectly intact, however, as if Hux just stepped right through it.

"Instead of focusing so much on the wall blocking me, I tried to concentrate on what I sought and where it would be. It wasn't so much breaking your defense, but rather… acting as though it wasn't there. I relaxed my mind and phased through your barrier, like walking through an open door." That was the only logical way he could explain it.

"Out of sight, out of mind," Kylo said. Hux nodded uncertainly before an idea struck him.

"I have a proposition," he started. Kylo eyed him suspiciously.

"Go on."

"I'll undergo your training if you undergo mine. If it'll get you to stop harassing me about my underdeveloped abilities…" Kylo smiled, already trying to figure out a way to twist this in his favor.

"The Supreme Leader will have no knowledge of this," he insisted.

"None whatsoever." So that's how the rest of the month went on. After an exhausting day of training, for both of them really, with Snoke, Kylo would shower, meditate a bit, and begin again with Hux's mental training. When Hux felt satisfied that Kylo had progressed enough, Hux would take a shower and begin his training with Kylo, about improving his current abilities and learning new ones. Each night they both fell asleep feeling fully drained of energy, but accomplished as well, a bit prideful in their growing abilities. The completion of his training became easier and easier with each passing day. Hux had strengthened his mental barriers, so much so that Snoke could do little more than throw mental blow after mental at them with no results. He was extremely impressed, though a bit uneasy at Kylo's newfound mental strength.

His technique became sharper, felt more like a dance than waving around a saber with no purpose. His katas and practice moves no longer looked as sloppy, instead as if a seasoned, grizzled warrior had just swept through the room like a tornado and gracefully destroyed everything in their path. He lasted many times longer in a saber battle, pulling out maneuvers he didn't know existed, didn't know he could do. He was still no match for Snoke, but Hux could see vast improvements in his style. He still had heavy steps when he walked, but his feet were light and quick in battle. He seemed to assess his opponent as they fought, adapting his style to combat theirs. His patience, though still almost nonexistent, had improved as well. He didn't blindly rush at his enemy if they didn't make the first move. He was willing to wait, for a time, to strategy temporarily, before barreling in. As for using the Force itself, he didn't need much effort to do so. It flowed like blood through his veins, worked with him and not for him, alongside him, not against him.

Another month went by and Kylo, as a Force user, seemed like a completely different person, more refined but just as, probably even more, dangerous. Some days, he would do nothing but meditate, not making a sound, unmoving except for the occasional twitch of his eyes or quirk of his lips. Though still unable to break Hux's mental barriers (At least he gave him a little of a struggle now. Progress is progress.), he soon ran out of things to teach. As for Hux's training, it's like he was raised in the ways of a Force user. Using the Force came more naturally to him now, though his reluctance to use it hadn't diminished as much as Kylo wished. Had the times been different, he would've made a wonderful Jedi, perhaps high enough to be on the Council.

It wasn't until Snoke projected to him that they needed to speak during a day of meditation did Kylo remember his purpose here. He asked if Hux was welcome to accompany him. Snoke acquiesced. "You wished to see me, Supreme Leader?" he asked his master, kneeling at the foot of his throne. Snoke looked down at him almost… fondly?

"Arise, my apprentice." Kylo, surprised, got back to his feet slowly, staring at him curiously.

"Master?"

"You've made great improvements in the two months you've resided here, progressed faster than I thought you would. There is not much more that I can teach you." Kylo's eyes lit up. Did that mean? "You have completed your training, and though you are still my apprentice, you are free to return to the _Finalizer_ knowing you are now the second most powerful Force user in the galaxy. Your mission still remains, after all." Hux couldn't contain his smile, and neither could Kylo, who actually let out a laugh.

"I… Thank you, master. I shall not fail you." Snoke leaned back with a blank expression, and Hux could pick up the stray thought of, ' _We shall see.'_ before following a bounding Kylo out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the citadel.

"You didn't leave anything behind, did you?" Hux asked, having packed all of his spare clothes and items on the shuttle the previous night. Kylo shook his head, seemingly at a loss of words. Hux chuckled, inquiring, "Are you alright?"

"I've completed my training," was the answer he got. He no longer had to endure the pain of a late night training session with Snoke, no longer would receive saber slash marks or endless headaches. He **was** free, to a certain degree. Best of all, Snoke could no longer see inside of his head without him putting up a fight. Hux, smiling, pulled his comm link out of his uniform pocket to contact the _Finalizer_.

XxX

Phasma, with the help of Lieutenant Mitaka, had succeeded in running the general's precious ship without being shot out of space. The crew, no longer on edge or under his or Kylo Ren's scrutinizing gaze every day, was much more relaxed. Phasma herself could rest a bit easier. She didn't think commanding a ship could be this easy. There were no calls from the rest of the First Order, no reports of activity in Resistance or First Order territory. The galaxy, for the moment, was at, dare she say, peace. Hux would contact her every now and then, asking for reports on the status of the ship and any important meetings or functions he'd missed. Aside from the stormtrooper hosted party, she told him, he hadn't really missed much. In the middle of a poker game, with just about all of the chips in front of her, her comm beeped. She excused herself for a brief moment.

"Armi," she responded. "It's been over two weeks since you last checked in."

"I apologize, but I'm just informing you that we're on our way back up to the ship." She froze, as did everyone at the table and the rest of the bridge crew. "So whatever gambling game you're in the middle of, I suggest you wrap it up and make sure the ship is how I left it by the time I return."

"Of course, General," she said, signaling to her stormtroopers to spread the word that Hux and Ren were returning. The patrol quickly dispersed and she turned to the table, replacing the comm in her pocket. "You heard him, boys! I suggest you pay up what's in your pockets and help me rearrange this." They emptied credits out of their pockets and watched Phasma scoop them into her helmet, which lay on her chair. They stood up and stared at her. "Well? What're just standing there for? Move it! Do you want to be on the receiving end of the general's wrath that something's out of place? Get this table back in the conference room!" They hurriedly followed her order, scrambling to pick it up and move it without spilling drinks and cards all over the floor.

"Captain?" Mitaka piped up as he entered the bridge area.

"To the hangar bay, Lieutenant," she responded, and he nodded, accompanying her. ' _If you all haven't cleaned up the main mess hall by the time they return, I will use you for target practice and throw you out an airlock,'_ she thought to herself as they passed it by. They were not pinning the blame on her.

XxX

Kylo swept his hair back, about to put on his mask before stopping himself. He wanted to thank Hux for his time with him on the citadel, but was unsure how to do so. "Hux," he started. The general looked at him thoughtfully.

"I know, and you as well. I… enjoyed our time planetside." The rest of their words went unspoken, but they knew that something had changed between them, for the better. Were they… friends now? Hux wondered.

"If you wish," Kylo responded. The ginger startled and the ravenette laughed softly. "Despite your impenetrable barriers, you project loudly. It's alright, really. But… friends. Is that something you wish to… try?" He hoped he just imagined the nervousness in his voice.

"If you are willing in turn." Kylo looked down and away. How long had it been since he'd had actual friends outside the Knights of Ren. He couldn't even remember.

"I'd like that," he mumbled, a feeling of warmth swelling inside of him. They exited together as the shuttle landed and docked in the hangar. The stormtroopers and officers that usually greeted them were present, as was Phasma.

"General," she greeted, helmet on, voice slightly muffled. "Welcome back, sir. *turns to Kylo* Lord Ren."

"Captain," Kylo addressed, feeling her surprise at his response.

"It's good to be back," Hux murmured to himself, letting out a sigh. As peaceful and almost stress free as it was back in Snoke's citadel, he'd missed the order of his ship, the late nights on his datapad, missions offboard. He couldn't stay away from all this for too long. Snickering as he saw few credits fall from his friend's helmet, to her embarrassment, he and Kylo walked in the direction of their quarters. They parted about halfway down the crew quarters hallway, where Hux's room was. Kylo continued on a few doors down across the hall. The next morning, they went into hyperspace and the day proceeded as it normally would. As far as how Kylo was as a person in general nowadays, not much had changed if you didn't spend extended periods of time with him. He and Hux didn't argue as much anymore, what used to spark shouting matches quickly turning into witty banter and petty claims most of the time. The crew often stared at the knight, wondering if he was just bottling up his rage until he finally lost it and killed them all.

XxX

 _Kylo found himself standing in an all too familiar underground building. It had dark, rocky walls, low lighting, practice dummies with saber marks on them. He stood in the practice hall of Luke's academy, he realized. Receding footsteps echoed, bouncing off the smooth walls, so Kylo followed them, seeing his uncle standing at the open door of the building. Moonlight illuminated the ocean and rocky cliffsides of the planet, a light breeze ruffling the old Jedi's hair. The Jedi in question turned slowly, showing one side of his face, and smiled sadly. "Hello, Ben," he whispered. He turned back around and began walking, beckoning for him to follow. Kylo hurried to catch up to him, but found himself instead running through a door in the belly of a ship._ _ **The**_ _ship. The Millennium Falcon. He watched Chewbacca land the ship on a planet rich with vegetation and civilization in front of what he presumed to be a headquarters. The Resistance HQ he supposed. The scene switched to Rey and Chewbacca amongst the Resistance officers as Luke and Leia embraced after many years apart. He watched them until he heard Rey's voice, turning to look at her._

" _I must train to grow stronger, to defeat Kylo Ren," Rey claimed, and Kylo tore his gaze from her, looking around to find himself in an unfamiliar room. It was empty save for the tables and chairs pushed up against the wall. Rey, holding the lightsaber that should've been his, was standing off against Luke, whose green lightsaber glowed strongly and steadily. He watched as they sparred, but was surprised when he felt Rey… Reach for the Dark Side. She recoiled when Luke stopped the exercise and warned her of the dangers, refusing to teach her further. As she stormed out of the room, Kylo yelped when he found himself falling, landing uncomfortably on his stomach. He found himself lying in snow and raised his head. The dark, freezing caves he was present in were the caves of Ilum, where the Jedi and Siths obtained their kyber crystals. Hux, sniper rifle on his back and wearing his long, hooded fur coat, was crouched down next to him, and helped him up._

" _Are you alright, Kylo?" he asked in concern, smoothing some hair out of his eyes, tucking black strands behind his ears. He leaned in to the touch. The knight clambered slowly to his feet and looked around. They were in the heart of the cave, a crystal floating on a sort of icy pedestal many feet above the ground._

" _I think so." He knew he was in a dream, but he responded anyway. When had the general ever said his name with such emotion, touched him so tenderly? When had he addressed him by his first name aloud at all?_

" _Shall we?" Without waiting for a response, he marched across the ice and began scaling the walls, the surface changing to allow him to climb with ease. Holding onto grooves in the ice, one hand and foot remained on the wall while the others reached towards the crystal. Just as Hux's gloved hand was closing in on the crystal, the cave shook, and he lost his grip. He couldn't tell if Hux had gotten the crystal, only that he was falling, and fast._

" _Hux!" he screamed, running towards him, only for the ice to crack and open up beneath him, but not before he saw Hux land on all fours, dark claws digging into the ice, shouting out his name. He landed unsteadily on his feet on the roof of some huge… battlestation. It reminded him of Starkiller. It must be the second one then if he was where he thought he was. He heard a lightsaber ignite and saw Rey standing across from him, robes billowing in the strong wind, form creating a shadow in the setting sun. FN-2187 and the pilot lay unconscious in each other's arms behind her. She marched purposefully towards him and he drew his saber. They clashed once more, but this time, he was ready. Her skills had grown, but not as much as his had. "You've gotten stronger," he acknowledged, "But not strong enough."_

" _We'll see about that!" she bellowed, pushing him back with the Force. Her eyes were rimmed a familiar golden hue, and then he knew. Rey was being consumed by the Dark Side. He gasped at her eyes, and she ran at him. Before the saber could make contact, however, he found himself kneeling in Snoke's throne room. Hux stood beside him, but his hair was a tangled mess, as was his ripped, bloodstained uniform. His boots were covered in mud and his eyes looked weary._

" _Supreme Leader. Let me explain-" Before he could ask what was going on, Hux was thrown back by his master. Upon landing, Force lightning engulfed him, and yet, Kylo also felt it. He felt the agony and anguish pouring from Hux as well as the glee radiating from Snoke. Then, the agony increased tenfold as Snoke threw him next to Hux and struck him with the Force lightning as well. He could feel Hux's physical and emotional pain, which did nothing to diminish his own, reaching out to him desperately._

" _I gave you the galaxy, and this is how you repay me?!" The ancient being screeched furiously. "You will die before you take my throne!" Blue, purple, and white filled his vision, consuming it, but leaving Hux's fiery red hair at the edge of his view. Screaming in pain along with the redhead, he curled in on himself, then…_

Kylo awoke on the floor, screaming at the top of his lungs and thrashing about. He heard the shattering of glass around him, felt the air pressurizing, suffocating him. He felt shards fall, scraping his skin and drawing blood on his arms, legs, and partially exposed torso. When he came back to himself, he was shaking heavily, panicked. He felt pinpricks of pain spasm throughout his body and his heart raced as if he'd just run a marathon. He'd just had a Force vision. He was sure of it, and there were many dark things to come. Gasping in pain and gritting his teeth, he used the bed for support to get to his feet. His bedside clock read 4:29. Unsure of what else to do, he went to the only person he trusted at the moment, hoping they were still awake and not angry at his intrusion of their quarters. He almost tripped when a howl echoed down the hall. He sprinted unsteadily down the hallway, skidding to a halt in front of the General's door. He frantically keyed in his code and was grateful when the door slid open. After some effort against a Force-field, he stumbled in…

XxX

It was a peaceful twenty days by Hux's count since his return to the _Finalizer_ , and he'd quickly readjusted to his duties as General. He and Kylo stood together at the bridge most days, quietly conversing. They took turns eating in each other's quarters during the week, where no one had to see Kylo's face or the general's smile. It was like they were too completely different people, two old friends from a long forgotten childhood. They turned heads as they walked together throughout the ship. No doubt, petty rumors would start spreading soon. He was currently having a video conference with the commander of the _Conqueror_ when he felt a sharp pain travel through his body, coursing through his veins like someone had thrown him into an electric inferno. Trying to keep a straight face, he quickly apologized and ended the chat, promising to contact him soon before chucking the datapad toward his desk and curling up in a ball on his bed. As the pain multiplied many times over, his breaths came out in pained gasps and he let out a high pitched whine, the best he could do without screaming his head off. He felt tears prickle at the back of his eyes, which he quickly squeezed shut, and he clawed at the sheets, willing the pain to go away, squirming and jerking violently. He heard the sound of fabric ripping and felt his body begin to change, but he didn't care at the moment. Ears pressed back flat against his head and tail curled around his thigh tightly, he let out an animalistic howl. He could've swore he could hear a familiar voice screaming as well, but he felt too delirious to be sure.

As his door slid open, he heard someone stumble in, heavy footfalls like gunshots to his sensitive hearing. The pain receded somewhat, and his howl had dialed back down to a whine at the sound of the scream. He felt his limbs still jerking, but he used his willpower to steady them. Only twitching now and whining lowly, he cracked open his eyes to see Kylo hovering over him in horror. "Hux?" he whispered. A pathetic whimper escaped him, and he hid his face. Now someone knew what he was. Kylo knew what he was. That look confirmed his worst fears.

"K-Kylo?" he stuttered out weakly. The Force user looked on the verge of tears before all of Hux's pain disappeared, save the slight aftershocks still making their way through his body. The ravenette fell on the bed next to him, but the ginger shied away. "Lights, 25%"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he almost sobbed as the room became visible in the low lighting. "I didn't mean to do that, I just did, and…"

"What in the *wince* galaxy are you talking about?" He straightened out his body and sat up slowly, not meeting his eyes.

"I had a Force vision. It ended in great pain. In reaching out to you in the vision, I must have reached out to you here. That's what must have triggered… this," he said, gesturing to Hux and his animal features. The general chuckled bitterly, black rimmed feline like eyes cold as ice.

"You triggered the pain, sure, but this _transformation_ was of my own doing." Ren peered at him curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"This is that something else I've kept hidden my whole life. You are the first to find out about it. I'm rather good at keeping my distinguishing features from sight normally, but certain things can… bring them out." He observed Kylo carefully, worry clouding his mind. "You're bleeding," he realized.

"It's nothing," the knight commented.

"No," Hux insisted, grabbing one of his arms carefully and holding his hand over it. Kylo watched as his skin healed itself, but focused on Hux, whose soft looking ears puffed up, wiggling slightly, and fluffy tail swished slowly behind him. His pointed ears were the fiery color of his hair, ending at the top with black tips. As he yawned, he observed sharp, canines and white teeth that contrasted with his pale, salmon tongue and dark gums. Faint, barely there whisker marks, that you could only see if you knew what to look for, joined the pale freckles on his flushed cheeks. His finger and toe nails were long, sharpened midnight black claws that gleamed with every movement. His tail matched the color of his hair as well, ending in a perfect mix of gold and white. The hairs on his arms and legs looked smoother, thicker, like a light coating of fur. Hux healed the last scratch on his torso to finish.

"All those times I thought I was imagining things, and it was really this…" Hux withdrew his hand and met Kylo's… warm gaze?

"You aren't…?" Disgusted? About to laugh and mock? Horrified?

"No," Kylo insisted, shoving the negative thoughts away. "They're beautiful. **You're** beautiful," he whispered. The ginger skimmed his thoughts, not believing a word he spoke. ' _Go on. I have nothing to hide.'_ He ran through his thoughts of the past few minutes. Looking past his pain and regret, there was something akin to… admiration, awe, affection. He drew back and looked at Kylo. "You don't have to hide it from me anymore, Hux." The redhead nodded meekly. Hux didn't know when it started, or when Kylo began noticing, but here they were.

"Your vision-" he began.

"Can wait until later," he finished. "Lights, off." Hux nodded again, curling up under the blankets, exhaustion finally settling in as the room was thrown into darkness. Kylo, not sure whether it was safe to return to his quarters, crawled under after him. After a moment's hesitation, he pulled Hux's back to his chest and wrapped his arms around him, trying to be comforting. He felt Hux's uncertainness slowly fade through the Force, who sent him a shaky, ' _Thank you,'_ and fell asleep to the thought of, ' _No more secrets_.'

Closing A/N: Gah… *makes several unintelligible sounds* All I can say is I don't know what happened. I really don't. Feel free to hate on my confusingness.


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five: Tension

A/N: With a cameo from Luke, Leia, Poe, Finn, and Rey, let's continue where the madness left off.

Luke Skywalker sat up in his bed, cold sweat running down the back of his neck, hands shaking. He'd felt a major disturbance in the Force, seen flashes of blurry images. In all of them, however, there was one constant figure: Ben. His nephew had had a Force vision, a powerful one at that. He turned on his light and sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands. He'd have to meditate on this later, when his head was clearer and he'd gotten a decent night's sleep. "Luke?" a voice sounded at his door. He looked up to see Rey, worried and shaken. "Did you feel it too?"

"Yes," he responded quietly. "Did you see or hear anything?" She looked uncertain.

"I saw myself. One moment, you and I were training. The next, I'm engaged in battle with Kylo Ren, but there's something different about him and I in that moment. I can't quite tell what, but…" He nodded, reassuring her and telling her to go back to sleep. When his door closed, he sighed and rose to his feet. Perhaps a walk along the shore might clear his head.

XxX

It was in the middle of a mission briefing that Leia felt it. She may not have been trained in this sort of thing, but she knew what a disturbance in the Force was like. Her officers asked if she was well, and she nodded. "It's nothing," she told them, wrapping things up and ending the meeting. Poe and Finn stayed behind in concern.

"You alright, ma'am?" Poe asked her. She shook her head.

"There was a disturbance… in the Force. I couldn't grasp much, but… there was so much pain and…" She'd heard the screams of her son, she was sure of it. Quickly, she shut her eyes and tried to calm down. Han wouldn't want her losing it over something out of her control.

"Did you see anything?" Finn questioned. "Is that a thing?" She chuckled sadly.

"Yes, visions are possible, but with someone as untrained and amateur as I am, I don't see much." The two nodded, still lingering.

"I'll be fine, boys. You ready that relief mission while you can." They left with a, "Yes, General." and Leia sunk down into a nearby chair. Where was her family when she needed them?

XxX

Hux awoke to an unnaturally warm embrace from behind, tail weakly moving across warm, smooth skin that wasn't his own. Dark hair had fallen over his shoulder, and the events of earlier that morning suddenly came rushing back to him. Kylo was holding onto him, was in his room, in his bed, to comfort him. He listened to the knight's strong heartbeat and steady breathing for a time until he felt him shift. He retracted his claws and attempted to hide away his ears and tail. He pressed his ears back flat, feeling them meld into his skull as his human ears reappeared. He wrapped his tail around his thigh, feeling it's presence melt back into the rest of his body. He felt everything else return to normal save his eyes as the arms around him disappeared with a gasp.

Kylo awoke to the disappearing touch of something soft on his leg. He felt his skin tingle at contact with another person, something the pain he'd felt earlier had drowned out. It wasn't a bad feeling, not in the slightest, but it had been too long since he'd been this close to another human being. Skin on skin contact was something he hadn't felt since his academy days. Years. He gasped and pulled away, unwrapping his arms from Hux and putting space between them. The general turned to him and looked back to his old self, except for his eyes of course, which were still ringed black and non humanly shaped, and his sweat plastered, unruly hair. "Hux," he whispered hoarsely, realizing just how much damage his screaming had done to his throat.

"Morning to you too," he responded quietly, sitting up and stretching, hearing the satisfying pop and stretch of bones and muscles. His nightstand clock read 5:30 and he cursed, hopping to his feet and heading for the refresher. He was usually fashionably early to his shift, but it seemed he may end up late. He grabbed his uniform, neatly folded on his desk chair as Kylo sat up as well. His clothes were in what remained of his quarters. Feeling through the Force to check if the hallway was clear, he went into his room and, stepping around as much broken glass as he could, pulled on his robes and boots, secured his lightsaber, grabbed his mask, and returned to Hux's quarters.

Hux stood in front of his 'fresher mirror, running his hair under the cold flow of water from his dark, porcelain sink. Straightening back up, he observed his eyes returning to their usual shape and shade, though they remained slightly dark from his lack of sleep. He brushed his teeth, which were back to their normal human length and shape. As were his blunt fingernails. He felt his ears on the side of his head and couldn't feel his added appendage at the bottom of his spine, so he breathed a sigh of relief. Washing his face, he looked up to see Kylo analyzing him through the door, left slightly ajar. Brushing and applying product to his hair, he stripped out of his sleep pants and tank, pulling on a clean undershirt and his uniform. Going back into his room, he pulled on his socks, boots, and greatcoat, glancing at his clock again. He should arrive at the bridge a few minutes before the start of his shift.

"Hux," Kylo started, standing in the doorway. "Later?" The general nodded, exiting his quarters along with the knight, who put his helmet on and fell back into his fearsome persona. At their arrival, the crew stood at attention.

"At ease," he told them, and they resumed their work, but he felt a change in the air. He skimmed the thoughts of the nearest crew members.

'… _heard screaming down in the crew quarters on the officer's side…'_

' _Kylo Ren was freaking out apparently, trashed his room and everything…'_

'… _sounded like a wild animal was loose…'_

'… _General Hux is here later than usual. I wonder if he had anything to do with Kylo Ren's…'_

'… _the general and Kylo Ren. Maybe they're into some kinky role play-'_ Hux recoiled in disgust and anger at that, glaring at the officer, who withered under his gaze as he left his mind.

"General?" he asked.

"How dare you-" Before he could finish his statement, the officer who thought that started choking as Kylo held out a hand, squeezing tight.

"My interactions with the general, I assure you, are purely professional, Officer Janice. What we do in our shared time is none of your concern, and you would do well to know your place!" he snarled, lifting him up and tossing him aside into a nearby control panel. There was a loud thud as he fell to the ground, blood smeared on his face. The rest of the crew flinched, looking anywhere but at the knight. Hux scowled at Kylo.

"Care to explain why you're attacking my crew, Ren?" Another officer rushed to Janice's side, checking over him. He and Kylo hadn't argued in weeks, so this drawback felt strange and out of place. Judging from his adversary's posture, he felt the same.

"It's none of your concern, _General_. Perhaps you should teach your crew to mind their thoughts around me."

"It's none of your business what they think, least of all about you."

' _You're one to talk,'_ the black clad warrior thought to him, anger evident.

"If it bothers you so much, no one's stopping you from leaving the bridge. I think I speak for everyone when I say your presence wouldn't be missed." ' _Not here. Let them think what they will. I don't need you to defend me. I can fight my own battles.'_

' _Just you wait. Within the day, there'll be rumors milling about, about you and I. I'm simply trying to stop them from spreading.'_

' _Your bothered feelings are no justification for almost killing a man! Take your aggression out on a control panel if it'll keep you from harming my crew.'_ The whole time, the two had gotten in each other's faces, glaring at one another. Neither looked ready to back down. With a growl, Kylo left the bridge, robes flapping behind him, lightsaber in hand. The crew gazed up at their general. "What?" he asked exasperatedly. They returned to their work without responding. For the next few minutes, Hux tried to concentrate, but he couldn't, not knowing that Kylo was off somewhere, probably leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. With a frustrated groan, he marched off to find Kylo, using the Force to guide him to his location. "Lieutenant, you have the bridge!" he called over his shoulder. He found himself heading towards the lower decks. In one of the conference rooms, he found Ren at the center of what looked like the remains of a table and some chair legs. Saber marks were abundant along the walls and what used to be furniture, now scattered scraps of wood and metal. He watched the knight finish spelling something out on the table, leaning a bit to see it read, "Fuck you."

"Charming," he remarked sarcastically. "Very droll. Are you done?" With a roar, Kylo sliced the table in half, and it fell to pieces on its side. Hux closed and locked the door behind him.

"Now," he replied. "Now, I'm done." He removed and dropped his helmet at his feet, breathing heavily with a grimace on his face. "How dare that revolting, sorry excuse of a man-"

"Worried about your reputation, Ren?" he asked, not liking this falling back into old habits moment. Kylo stared at him.

"Worried about yours. I won't have someone suggest such a thing about either of us. They know nothing!"

"You jumping to my defense is only confirming their suspicions-"

"That we're what? Friends with benefits? Fuck buddies? I won't have it!" he hissed, anger causing some of the lights overhead to shatter. Hux calmed down and reigned in his anger; it wouldn't help at the moment.

"You're stressed from earlier. Believe me, so am I, but that doesn't give you an excuse to take out your anger on my crew."

"You never got so uptight about it before."

"Things are different now, Kylo. Our relationship is different now. We don't hate each other. We have some shred of respect for each other. We have an understanding. For just one moment, act like you're an adult and calm yourself." His voice was gentle now, encouraging a cease in hostility. With a defeated growl, he deactivated his lightsaber and replaced his helmet.

"I won't apologize for my actions."

"I don't expect you to, but I do expect you to pay for this *gestures behind him* destruction. Do you know how much of our budget has gone into repairing your messes?" Kylo breathed out a harsh laugh.

"I've looked over your reports, yes. I'm still not sorry." Hux rolled his eyes, unlocking the door and heading back to the bridge.

"Just try not to cause any more damage." Kylo left the room, clipping his lightsaber back in its usual place, returning to his room to meditate. He could use a little peace of mind.

XxX

The next week, Hux was in the middle of his dinner when he heard his door slide open. Kylo walked in sheepishly, maskless, and took a seat across from him. He looked over the general's plate and furrowed his brows. "Are those… crickets?" he asked, face scrunched up in a look of disgust. Hux merely plucked one from the plate and tossed it in his mouth, chewing.

"Foxes eat insects, you know. It's something I've learned to live with. *gulp* They're actually quite satisfying." He finished what Kylo hoped was a steak with potatoes before setting his plate aside. "So, your vision, what was it about?"

"It started out simply enough. I saw Luke Skywalker, discovered his location. His Jedi academy is on a remote planet in a small system on the other side of the galaxy. I tried to follow him, but I found myself instead on the ship of my fa- of Han Solo. Che- The wookie brought the scavenger girl and Luke to the Resistance."

"Did you obtain its location as well?" Hux inquired. Kylo shook his head.

"No. All I discovered was that Luke and… mother had seen each other again. From there, I watched Luke train the girl. She… touched the Dark Side, so he stopped, told her it was dangerous. She insisted she was fine and asked to continue training, to become stronger than me."

"I highly doubt that now. You can give the Supreme Leader a tough time. What chance does she have of even coming close to your level?" Kylo hummed in gratitude at that. He stopped, looked at nowhere in particular in wonder.

"I was falling to another scene. Then… I saw you." This piqued Hux's interest. He cocked his head to the side curiously.

Quietly, he asked, "What about me?"

"You were helping me up off the ground. We were in icy caves, searching for your kyber crystal."

"For what purpose?" The ravenette shook his head.

"I'm not for sure, but you climbed to it with ease. I don't know if you got it or not, just that I fell through the ice as you landed on your feet. When I landed once more, I found myself on the roof of the second Starkiller."

"We haven't even started construction yet. I'm still perfecting the plans," Hux stated in awe.

"I know, but it gets finished. The girl is there again, and we engage in battle. It was… strange."

"How so?"

"I just felt… different. My mind felt clearer than it has in years and everything felt natural. Her skills had improved, but she was no match for me…" The knight couldn't help the concern that laced his voice.

"Then why are you so worried?" the ginger questioned. "If you were sure to beat her…"

"Her eyes." he stated simply. "When I saw them, they were turning gold, Hux." The general looked at him in disbelief. "She was turning to the Dark Side, or at least using huge amounts of the Dark Side of the Force. She caught me off guard. Before she could strike a blow, I found myself in…" He stopped as a lump formed in his throat. The end of the vision still made him shake, was making him shake at that very moment. He could still feel the Force lightning washing over him and Hux-

"Kylo," Hux mumbled, placing a hand over his. The Force user looked up to concerned eyes.

"Don't look at me like that," he said.

"Like what?" Hux responded, frowning.

"Like I'm about to fall apart." Hux sighed.

"If you don't wish to speak about it-"

"We were in Snoke's throne room. It must've been after a battle of some sort, because you… You were covered in blood and dirt; your hair was a mess, clothes torn to shreds. It was probably an ambush. Something had happened because the Supreme Leader was furious. You tried to explain it to him, but he threw you back, started… He hit you with Force lightning, with more fury than I've ever seen. I tried to stop him, but he did the same to me. I could feel your pain, all of it, along with my own. I reached out to you, tried to lend you what was left of my strength, but it was too much…"

"And then you awoke to come find me," the ginger finished. "I was feeling the pain in your vision, where we were still… Is connected the right word?"

"In a sense, yes… Before the end of it, the Supreme Leader said something to you. It was something about not being able to take his throne…"

"Take his throne? Replace him as ruler of the galaxy?"

"I don't know. The more I try to think about it, the more it hurts." Hux stood up and began pacing, letting it all sink in. The Resistance would gain the aid of the galaxy's last true Jedi, Rey would be tempted by the Dark Side, the second Starkiller Base would be completed, he would obtain his own personal kyber crystal, and… he would try to overthrow Snoke. ' _And fail miserably,'_ he added. "I won't let that happen," Kylo insisted, stopping Hux in his tracks.

"You would choose me over Snoke?"

"It was bound to happen eventually. When the time comes, I will kill him."

"Don't let him hear you say that," Hux remarked, smirking.

"I don't plan to." Before he could further the conversation, Hux's comm beeped. The general sighed and answered, smile rising to his face as he ended the conversation. "What is it?"

"I had created a list of planets for which to build the next Starkiller Base on. We've just arrived at one of them. It's similar to the last as far as structure, climate, and the environment are concerned. It's rotation speed and size are about the same, which means we won't have to change as much as originally planned if we-"

"What is this planet called?" Kylo interrupted.

Hux stared, slightly annoyed, responding with, "Ilum."

"Absolutely not." Kylo unclipped his saber from his belt. Taking it apart with the Force and holding up a fractured crystal.

"It's not your decision where I choose to-"

"That planet is one of the only known sources of kyber crystals. You'll have to go through everyone with a lightsaber and one of these *holds up crystal* before you even think about starting construction there!" Hux looked out his viewport at the snowy planet when a thought suddenly struck him.

"In your vision, you said that I was obtaining a kyber crystal. In the caves of this planet?" Kylo realized what he was implying, putting his saber back together.

"You don't think…" But he did, both of them did. "We could schedule an inspection of the planet, say we got lost…" Hux was way ahead of him, already contacting someone.

"Lieutenant, organize a group from our research department to go down to the planet's surface. Captain, send a squad of 'troopers along with them. Lord Ren and I shall join you shortly." Hux started looking for his cold weather gear, brandishing a familiar coat. Kylo almost smiled, but he couldn't help but feel like he was missing something, like there was a greater purpose to their task. He pushed the worry out of his mind, preparing himself for what was to come.

Closing A/N: This one was shorter, I know, but I'll make next chapter extra long (hopefully). We'll see the POV of Rey and Luke and the rest of our Resistance members and then we'll head back over to Hux and Kylo.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six: Hidden Truths

A/N: As mentioned before, starting off with Rey, Luke, and the Resistance, then switching back to Kylo and Hux. Also, huuuuuge thanks to (I'm sorry if I misspell a username): Anivi, Tovarish, littleatari, and Morcuen for bookmarking and the_Archivist, AnnaTaure, and Somuchfluff for comments (and to everyone reading and leaving kudos of course).

"Where are we going?" Luke asked Rey for seemingly the hundredth time. She shook her head, smiling slightly, as they continued walking along the hillside until… "Chewie, old friend! How've you been?" The Wookiee warrior embraced him tightly with a gleeful roar. Luke felt the breath get knocked out of him, but pat his old acquaintance on the back nonetheless. He gazed at the Millennium Falcon fondly. The memories…

"I was told not to tell you. I made a promise to get you there safely, and that is what I intend to do." Making their way up the ramp, Chewbacca took his place in the pilot's seat, Rey stood beside him. He sat down in the co-pilot's seat, a bittersweet sadness washing over him.

"So Han is gone then…" The Wookiee roared shortly, head down as the ramp rose and the Falcon lifted off. "What else in the galaxy have I missed?" Rey began talking about the First Order and Starkiller, their most recent excursion, and about the Resistance, its existence at least. "And you're taking me to them?"

"Maybe, maybe not." That's the most he could get out of her for a while before a question arose, one he couldn't keep from asking.

"So you've met Ben." It was a statement more than a question, and the scavenger girl half turned, expression grim.

"Kylo Ren? Yes, I have. Why do you ask?"

"How is he?" he questioned genuinely. She frowned.

"When I left him? Injured, convinced he could become my teacher, enraged. He tried to kill me." She looked offended when he began laughing, softly at first before it swelled. "You find that funny?"

"My father," he said, "Tried to kill me several times before we met on friendly terms. *shrugs* It happens sometimes."

"Your father? You met on _friendly terms_ with Darth Vader?"

"My father's name," he corrected, "Is Anakin Skywalker, but yes. He saved my life that day, gave his for mine, and now I'm here, with you, to tell part of the tale, and continue to teach the ways of the Force." Rey hummed in thought, mulling that over before a somewhat lush planet came into view. Chewbacca roared something through the ship's comm.

" _You're cleared for landing, Chewbacca. Welcome back._ " They breached the atmosphere, and a sophisticated looking building came into view surrounded by an airstrip.

"The base on D'Qar," Luke recalled, and Rey nodded. He looked at its improvements in approval. ' _Whoever runs this place knows their stuff.'_ They followed Chewbacca inside, where lower level officers were blocking the doors to the main conference room. They refused them entry reluctantly.

"I'm sorry, but the general is in an important meeting with our senior officers and has requested that I let no one in. I'm sorry," he apologized again. Chewbacca roared in outrage, startling both guards.

"We can't let you in, Chewbacca. We have orders."

"It's urgent! We bring-"

"You could be bringing her Darth Vader's ghost and we still wouldn't be able to let you in. Really, Rey, it can wait." She grit her teeth and huffed, giving a look of exasperation before she had an idea. Calmly, she walked up to the officers and said, "You will move aside and let us speak to the general." The officers eyed her warily.

"I don't think so, girly."

"You will _move aside_ and let us speak to the general," she tried, more forced this time.

"Are you trying your Jedi mind tricks on us? I thought they were supposed to work." Fuming, she stepped back, surprised when Luke took her place. Slowly, he raised his hand.

"You will let us pass… and take us to the general." Their eyes were unfocused for a second before one of them responded.

"We'll let you pass and take you to the general." One of them unlocked the door with a code, hanging back behind them while the other led the way. Rey looked at the Jedi in disbelief and, a little bit of, jealousy. Going down a hallway and turning, he opened the door to the conference room with another code, startling the members in the meeting. Leia, as well as several high ranking officers and the Blue and Red Squadron, looked up at the intrusion.

"Is this the best time, Officer Bailey?" she asked, in the middle of a mission briefing on a few Outer Rim planets.

"Forgive me, ma'am, but Rey brings an important guest. She insisted it could not wait." He stepped aside, as did Rey and Chewbacca, to reveal a hooded, cloaked man in garb long forgotten. He stared at her familiar face in awe, still as beautiful and strong a leader as he remembered. Stepping forward he lowered his hood and met her eyes. Her expression immediately softened, and she dropped whatever projected image she was talking about.

"Hello, Leia," he spoke, failing to fight a smile. She walked around the table until she had a direct path to him, not believing her eyes.

"Luke?" she asked incredulously. They walked towards each other, slowly at first before practically running, meeting in the middle and embracing. She sunk down and buried her head in his chest, closing her eyes as he rubbed her back. "It's really you…" she whispered. "You've come back." Luke closed his eyes as well, sinking further into the embrace.

"And I plan on staying," he told her. "This time, for good." She looked up in surprise, a grin breaking out on her face.

"Well, it looks like the First Order's going to have to deal with the galaxy's most powerful Jedi now." He scoffed.

"Leia, do you know how long it's been since the last time I was on the front lines?"

"I know you haven't lost your touch or your abilities. I also know that you're itching for a chance to break out your saber. So," she said, getting up and returning to the conference table. The projection reappeared once more. "We'll start on…" Rey watched beside Chewbacca, Finn, and Poe as the siblings led the meeting, Leia detailing the mission and what was to be done, Luke providing intel on the planets and people who inhabited them as well as troop formation strategies and attack maneuvers. "Grab your gear and head out!"

"Yes, ma'am!" a surrounding chorus responded, and a majority of the people in the room left. Those who remained were introduced, or reintroduced, to Luke.

"Luke, this is Captain Cypress, commander of our ground troops." They nodded to each other. "This is Major Taslin Brance, in charge of communications regarding First Order activity."

"A pleasure," he told the Jedi.

"Mine as well," Luke responded. A familiar officer stepped forward, who Luke shook hands with. "Admiral Ackbar. Always good to see you."

"Good to have you back, sir."

"And if I'm correct," he finished, turning to two other officers, "Majors Ematt and Statura?" They nodded. He turned to Rey and co.

"The man in the middle is our main pilot, Poe Dameron. He leads the Red and Blue Squadrons of our fighters. Beside him is Finn, the most recent addition to the Resistance."

"You were a stormtrooper," Luke observed. Finn stuttered at that. "I can see it in the way you stand, the way you act. You defected." Finn nodded, speechless. "I met a group of clones after the fall of the Empire who remained loyal to my father and the Old Republic; they were great men. You would've loved to meet them." Finn nodded, looking away.

"And you've met Rey. Will you two be joining us this time?" Luke and Rey met each other's gaze, the same question they were asking themselves.

"Soon," he replied, and beckoned to her, giving his sister one more warm glance before leaving the room, his new apprentice in tow.

XxX

"Where are we going?" Rey asked him as they descended through the base. He finally stopped them in front of an old, long abandoned room. Keying in a code, they slowly opened, revealing a vast room. Furniture was pushed against the walls and a few old practice dummies lay on their side, grey slash marks adorning them. "What is this room?"

"During a long siege against this base in the Galactic Civil War, I used this room to train while we were forced to take shelter. Most of the fighting happened up in space, but we'd get the occasional ground assault. When I had no role in either, I came here to further hone my skills. *lightsaber ignites* My goal was to train, to become strong enough to face the Emperor and bring an end to the Galactic Empire." He peered at her, reading her. "Why do you wish to train?" Rey thought about it for a minute before fresh memories came to the surface of her mind.

Igniting his father's lightsaber, she responded, "I must train to grow stronger, to defeat Kylo Ren." They circled each other, Rey with shaky confidence and Luke with calm.

"Is that your only goal? Is that all you wish to achieve?" She leapt at him and he easily blocked the blow, forcing her back. "These fights aren't always about brute strength. There is more to them than that." He initiated a series of moves that, although she blocked them all successfully, had her so turned around that she didn't notice the blade pointed at her throat until her head stopped spinning. "You showed the skill facing him. You allowed the Force to flow through you, to guide you. I'm asking for you to do the same here." She slowed her breathing and took a few steps back, closing her eyes and concentrating. She felt the familiar tug of energy, of life, and it pulsed through her. She opened her eyes, focused and determined. "Good. Now, attack me."

"As you wish." With a shout, she ran at him, allowing the Force to guide her, show her moves she didn't think were physically possible. Luke kept up with her, throwing out some offense of his own. They were evenly matched for a while, gracefully swinging and moving together to a rhythm only they knew. Eventually, his attacks started becoming too much as she tired and began getting beaten back. She drew more on the Force, hoping it would even out her chances, when she felt a… new presence alongside it. She'd felt it in her battle with Kylo Ren, pouring off of him in waves as he almost had her beat. Curious, she reached out to it, surprised to feel her emotions amplify, but not the ones she felt at the moment. Her anger and pain from the knight's actions on Starkiller fueled her, allowed her to combat Luke with a new ferocity that almost had him reeling. Realising what this was, he Force pushed her back, eyes clouded with worry and anger, though not at Rey. She landed on her feet, preparing to charge again.

"Stop!" Luke shouted to her. She froze and lowered her weapon as Luke deactivated his saber. "Do you realize what you've done? Jedi utilize the Light Side of the Force, work with it, not make it to work for us."

"I don't understand. Did I do something wrong?" she asked, face slightly guilty as she deactivated her saber as well.

"You reached for the Dark Side of the Force, used it to try and even the odds against me." She gasped, recoiling and putting distance between them. "You now know how it feels, and if not careful, it will consume you as it did my father and Kylo Ren." He clipped his saber to his waist. "We're done, for now."

"No, wait. Allow me to try again-"

"I don't think so." As she stormed out of the room, Luke not far behind, he said, "You show great promise, Rey, but now, we should take the time to rest and prepare for our trip to the Outer Rim." Her expression lightened considerably and her pace slowed.

"Does that mean…?" Luke smiled halfheartedly.

"Yes, we'll be with the Resistance troops, fighting when necessary. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that." They left for their rooms together, but Luke couldn't push away the feeling that he'd made a huge mistake, that nothing good would come out of this.

XxX

"You seem excited, Armi. More than usual," Phasma observed as their shuttle neared Ilum's surface. A small squadron of her four most reliable, trusted 'troopers flanked her. Kylo was dressed in his usual robes and mask, saber in its place on his belt. Hux was dressed in his long fur coat, gloves, and snow boots, sniper rifle on his back and a pistol at his hip.

"Armi?" Kylo asked, eyebrows raised behind his mask. He held back a chuckle.

"It's absolutely perfect," Hux remarked, as the shuttle landed smoothly. "Also, other than me, Ren, how many of your friends address you in a different way than everyone else? That makes you feel less like your built up reputation and more like a human being?"

"He has friends?" Phasma asked in shock. The knight's gaze snapped to her, but she didn't back down. "Honest question, geez. Don't wreck my shuttle."

"Anyway," Hux stressed, trying to change the subject, "Lord Ren and I shall scout further inland as he's been here before apparently. You and your squadron shall protect the researchers and techs by our transportation-"

"So you interrupted my nap so I could babysit the geeks in the science department? This had better be worth my time." The sun was almost at its highest point in the bright, pale sky as the seven exited the shuttle. Hux conversed briefly with the rest of the crew down there before returning.

"We shall return before dusk if all goes well. If not," the ravenette said through the mask, "We're a bit behind schedule, nothing to worry about." Phasma nodded, rolling her eyes. She knew the two could handle themselves, especially being able to use the Force like they can. She only hoped Armitage would keep the situation under control. Who knows what Kylo Ren could get them into?

"Alright, boys. Standard positions. Let's get this over with." As the general and knight's figures started to fade, Phasma said into her helmet, "Stay here. Let me see where they're going." As quietly as she could, she rushed to catch up with them, ducking tree limbs and dodging melting icicles. After a few minutes of distanced following, she saw them reach a cave, a huge puddle of water at its mouth. They stopped, Kylo raising his hand out towards the cave. Phasma squinted, trying to see what they were doing. Before she could make out any significant details, she felt a tug and she was sailing through the air. Kylo had her in a Force pull, saber heading straight for her. She pulled her Z6 riot control baton to block the strike just in time, and she fell to the ground, landing heavily on her feet. "It's me, you idiot! You could've killed me!"

"What are you doing following us?" Kylo demanded. Hux offered her a hand, which she took, deactivating her weapon.

"Standard procedure. If you two do end up in trouble, I want to know where to find you. *looks up at cave* In there?"

"You won't be able to follow us once we enter, but yes, we'll be here. Wait by the entrance if it'll make you feel better." She growled, heading back in the direction she came.

"You two better make it out in one piece!" she called behind her, form disappearing in the distance as the two entered the cave.

XxX

Inside, the ground was hard packed snow, an occasional patch of ice or permafrost. The ceilings looked fragile, as if one touch might trap them inside an avalanche. The air grew slightly colder the farther they walked, away from the outside. The cave walls were jagged, littered with icicles and ice crystals, but nothing, to Hux's knowledge, resembled a kyber crystal. "That's because you haven't found yours yet," Kylo commented. "You'll know it when you see it, when you hear it."

"Hear it?" Hux questioned. Kylo nodded.

"Yes. Each crystal has its own distinct sound, a sort of call to its owner once inside these walls. Only you can hear it and only you can obtain your own crystal. In my experience, I went through a series of tests to obtain mine. They differ for every person it seems."

"When you said return before dusk, it shouldn't take that long, should it?"

"Time passes by differently here. In a sense, there is no time as you explore deeper into the caverns. However, the entrance we just came through will freeze over when the sun sets, which is why we should return before then."

"Or we'll be stuck here for the night? Great. Your vision didn't tell you how long we would take?"

"That's not-"

"-how the Force works. I know. Still, it would be nice if it would just tell us things for once instead of expecting us to predict the future and stop whatever terrible end we're approaching." Hux took a few steps forward, observing the two paths ahead. Kylo reached out with the Force to determine their path.

"The one on the left," he said. The ginger, not asking how he knew which way to go, trusted his judgement, walking down the left path. Trusting himself, he continued, letting his feet carry him in whatever direction felt right. Eventually, they came across a giant rotunda like room with at least ten different paths to choose from. Some looked like corridors while others looked like slides or narrow pathways. Hux huffed, pulling down the hood of his coat.

"Decisions, decisions," Hux mumbled. "I didn't expect this to be easy, but this seems a bit much." The redhead would prefer to not have a path with a slide or one that would limit his maneuverability. He sniffed down each path, but couldn't detect a thing, no signs of life whatsoever.

"Hmm… I don't remember the caves being like this in my last visit. Perhaps it changes each time?"

"Perhaps. You aren't the same as you were then and **I'm** certainly no Jedi-" Before he could finish his sentence, he heard a sweet, soft melody echo down an eleventh path that seemed to appear out of nowhere in front of him. His fox ears pricked up, leaning towards the sound. An icy staircase lead downward into a dimly lit area. The melody seemed almost familiar, as if from a long forgotten dream from his childhood. He felt a feeling of lost joy and purpose, positively drunk on it. Without a thought, he made his way over to it, descending the stairs in somewhat of a hurry.

"Hux! What is it?" Kylo exclaimed, rushing to catch up with his companion.

"I hear it. I can hear my crystal," he responded. He didn't know how he knew. He just did. Ren kept his distance, but followed the general, who almost lost him a few times around particularly long turns that branched off into different paths. "How far inside of the cave are they usually?"

"It depends on the person. I don't know how far the cave's extent is, but it doesn't seem to have an end."

"Lovely," the ginger murmured distractedly, not exactly paying attention to the knight. He longed to find the source of the sound that soothed his soul, that drew all of his attention away from his surroundings. Kylo observed Hux's changing behavior, concerned. He knew it was the draw of the crystal, but it shouldn't affect someone this much, should it?

"Hux, maybe we should… Should…" As the ginger continued forward, not noticing the younger man fall back and stop, Kylo turned to a path on his right that hadn't been there before. He could hear the sound of his mother's singing, his favorite tune to fall asleep to as a child. It called to him, reminding him of memories Snoke had tried to destroy during his time as a Knight of Ren in training. He'd held onto them though, not willing to lose that part of himself. Forgetting about Hux, he continued down his path, intrigued. He had a crystal, so why another called to him was a mystery. As he began to wonder when the path would change, he froze, coming to the end of a hallway, staring at the image of…

XxX

Meanwhile, Hux was taking turns and climbing through openings small and wide, claws on his feet (boots long forgotten) helping with the traction on the surface that became less and less easy to walk on. As the ground returned to snow, he heard the high pitched yip of a fox, an arctic fox to be exact, peering up at him curiously. "Hello there," Hux whispered softly. Slowly, he reached out a gloved hand, stopping a few inches away from it. The fox sniffed him before pressing against his hand with its snout, nuzzling it gently. Hux hummed happily, glad to see a familiar face, stroking behind its ears as he liked. It suddenly broke away from him, stopping a little ways away from a hole in the ground like a small tunnel. He followed it, but just as he reached it, it started down the tunnel. He wasn't surprised to find himself crawling on his stomach like a fox through a burrow, trusting his instincts and the increasing volume of the melody to guide him. After a few minutes, he emerged in a small room surrounded by ice mirrors, creature nowhere in sight. He caught his reflection and flinched, looking away.

"Well, that won't do." Hux snapped his head up to see the figure of his father, Brendol Hux, staring at him sternly. Paler red hair and a mustached face differentiated them, as well as the lighter green irises of battle hardened eyes a stronger build, and greater height. He looked away with a frown. He had no business interfering here. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, boy!" Almost cringing, he looked up and met his father's strict gaze. "That's better. Now, look in that mirror." A small mirror of ice was suspended in midair in front of him. He saw himself in his half-fox form, ears poking out of his hair, eyes slowly darkening, claws clicking as he shuffled his feet. "What do you see?" He observed himself closely. He saw the stress written clearly across his face from recent events, the bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, stray hair falling over his forehead.

"A mistake, a failure, someone in over his head. A man who has long forgotten himself and ruined his reputation."

"Wrong." The ginger started at that. "I see a man who doesn't let anything get to him, who has worked his entire life to prove he's worth something, that he's fit to rule the galaxy. That hasn't changed. You were always strong, Armitage, despite my words and worries. You **are** destined for greater things, and this is the first step to get there." Hux looked at his clawed feet before looking back in the mirror. He saw the image of himself as a boy, working to earn the respect of others, trying to be a great son despite his repeated failures. He saw himself as a cadet, proving his worth, showcasing his abilities, making a name for himself as he rose in rank. Blinking, he saw himself becoming General of the First Order, commanding the _Finalizer_ during battle, giving his speech on Starkiller, training with Kylo at Snoke's citadel. His image in the mirror smiled back at him, and he felt the corners of his lips quirk upward. He'd had his moments, hadn't he? He felt a bit of pride swell in his gut at the later images.

"Father-"

"I can't take back my words, but I can at least tell you that I'm proud, for what it's worth. You're my eldest, my first. You mean more to me than you know, now get outta here! You've got a crystal to find." Nodding, he continued forward through an opening in the wall, revealed after a slab of ice slid out of his way. The melody returned, much louder now, and he scrambled to reach it. He was forced to turn sideways to make his way through the narrow corridor, then crouch as it widened, but shortened. Finding a pair of stairs leading up, he took them, ending up in a room where a stunning red haired girl was softly singing, eyes closed peacefully. Half of the melody became a faint whispering of unintelligible words as he walked slowly to her. She turned to him, eyes full of warmth.

"Hello, Armitage," she whispered, the singing fading into a faint whisper as well.

"Gianna…"

"A pale imitation, yes. She thinks of you often, even now, at this very moment. She wonders how you are, where you'll conquer next. She hopes to be your tailor when you become emperor." Hux chuckled at that.

"Of course it'll be her. I didn't even think of anyone else."

"She also wonders about your love life." The general stopped at that. "She wonders whether you've settled down with a nice man yet." Hux blushed.

"I never told her-"

"But she always assumed, and she was correct, was she not?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." His sister- This thing pretending to be his sister, made embarrassment rise in his cheeks with each word. He liked women, really, but men had also always held a certain appeal as well. He'd never really picked a side to begin with. He wasn't about to start now.

"Ben Solo," she stated, giggling. There was a pregnant pause.

"K-Kylo?" Hux sputtered. "What in the galaxy gave you that idea? We're friends, nothing more."

"But you care for him, don't you? You cherish his company, you value his opinion, fear for his safety, want what's best for him."

"That doesn't mean anything. It simply says that I wish to-"

"Make him the happiest man alive?" she asked, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"I-I don't like what you're insinuating," Hux told her.

"No, you won't accept what I'm insinuating. Search your feelings, brother. You know it to be true." Hux gave a frustrated groan.

"If I admit it, will you stop teasing me for it? You always made fun of me! Sometimes it felt like you were the oldest instead of me."

"…Mmmaybe. Mmmaybe not." He sighed.

"I admit that I… care for Kylo. NOT in that way, but I care for him. There. Are you satisfied?" She thought about it, looking up and hmming.

"Nope." A path appeared behind her anyway, leading towards a larger section of the cave. "When you tell her for real, I will be. When you tell **him** for real, we'll both be."

"It's not as if he feels the same," he muttered offhandedly, causing her to frown. "What are you?" he asked in the entryway of the next path. "What is your purpose?"

"I'm a spirit guardian of these caves, one assigned specifically to you. Your presence here was foretold the moment you were born, the moment your Force-sensitivity was confirmed. My purpose is to ensure you do great things with your power. That includes helping you realize what's right in front of you. Don't let him slip between your fingers." In the blink of an eye, she was gone, and the melody returned full volume. He carefully proceeded forward, taking slow steps as the floor once again turned to ice. About halfway through the large hallway, he paused as the melody swelled further, almost painful to his now sensitive hearing, and then… silence.

Fearing he'd gone the wrong way, he turned, only for a voice to say, "I wouldn't backtrack if I were you." Whirling around, blaster raised, he was met with the sight of a brunette, bearded man. He wore robes only heard of in old stories, the old stories he'd read. And those calm, piercing eyes…

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," he spoke, head slightly bowed, blaster back in his holster. "An honor. An apparition I assume?"

"Of sorts… Your crystal lies in the chamber behind me, if you prove yourself worthy of it."

"Mmm. What is it this time? Is it a riddle, a test of skill?"

"Not of skill, no. Commitment, perhaps. A test of your… How to put this? …" He scratched his beard thoughtfully. "How much you value your abilities," he finished.

"You mean this *lifts an icicle off the ground with the Force* _curse_ thrust upon me?" Obi-Wan frowned.

"Why do you consider it a curse?" he questioned genuinely. The ginger made a disbelieving noise.

"I- For all my life, I've had to hide my abilities and *twitches ears* characteristics from everyone. I had a reputation, a legacy to live up to-"

"So your pride and others' opinions matter more than- Oh my…" He shook his head. "Anakin, I hope you're right about this one…"

"I never wanted this. I never believed in this outdated, dying religion, and I have no reason to become a believer now. I want nothing to do with it!"

"You can't just pretend that you're as Force-sensitive as a log! You were given your powers for a reason, and you must learn to accept that."

"And you know this reason?" Hux asked, eyes cold and calculating.

"Me?" the Jedi master asked, gesturing to himself. "I'm but a messenger as much as I hate to admit it. If I knew the reason, would I be interfering with your progress?"

"I… suppose not."

"Let's look at it this way. You accept that you can use the Force, though you don't like it. What would you dedicate your training to? Who would you use your powers to protect?"

"My crew, my family. Phasma… Kylo," were his automatic responses. Obi-Wan gave him a knowing look. "Why must everyone look at me like that?"

"Like what? Like it's obvious what's happening, but the two of you don't see it?"

"See what? Two of whom?" The brunette shook his head again.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you keep in mind who you're fighting to protect. That is what's important."

"Is that what worked for you?"

"Oh no. I failed to protect my friend from a terrible fate. I'm only trying to ensure that you don't as well. He's already almost there, but you can still save him."

"How do you know this friend of mine needs saving?" the general asked. Obi-Wan turned and looked up, as if staring through the ceiling.

"It'll all become clear soon. Until then, I would suggest you wait for your companion. He should arrive shortly." His form began fading as he walked towards the chamber. "I know you'll do great things, Armitage." With that, he was gone, leaving Hux to wonder just what Kylo was doing at the moment, icicle clattering to the floor beside him. The melody was but a whisper now, trying to entice him forward. No, he would wait. It also left him to ponder Obi-Wan's words. Could he use the Force for a purpose far beyond himself?

XxX

Kylo knew that the song was leading him on, but he scarcely believed it. A kyber crystal called to him. He'd merely come here for Hux's sake, and now… He pushed the thought out of his mind. If this was the will of the Force, then so be it. He didn't have to like it, just accept it and move on. He ducked under an array of icicles, which lightly brushed his uncovered hair as he continued down the dark, dimly lit hallway. It wasn't until he came across a room representing a cantina made out of ice and snow that he stopped, melody muffled slightly. His first test was here, and he didn't like how it was shaping up. He took a chair at the nearest table and sat, waiting with his back turned, mask off. It wasn't until he felt another presence that he spoke. "Are you a guardian or an inner demon?" he asked. "No matter which, I'm prepared to face you."

"Um… neither? I'm a… ghost, I guess." Turning around fast enough to give himself whiplash, the ravenette observed the Force ghost of his father. "Hello again, Ben." His trademark grin was present and Kylo slowly, hesitantly, got up and wrapped his arms around him. He let out a harsh breath.

"Father… So you are to be my first test."

"Yep. That's what I was told on my way over here. Something about your deepest regrets? I think. Heck if I was paying attention." Kylo smiled. Now it was obvious where he'd gotten that from.

"I don't regret much, perhaps never apologizing to mother when last we met, but other than that…" Han gave him a look.

"Not even an, "I'm sorry I killed you, dad?" No regrets there?" Ren flinched.

"I try not to think about it," he responded lowly, avoiding the question.

"Exactly. I've seen you when you've had to relive that. You were crying." The knight glared at that statement.

"I would not cry over some-" He stopped himself before he could finish. Han raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, please continue. You wouldn't cry over some old guy, some smuggler thug who's past his prime, the man who failed at being a parent. You like to say that you wouldn't… You didn't break down when he killed your mom in that delusion, but you did rewatching your own actions, when I died."

"You are determined to reopen old wounds that never fully healed. I did what I thought was right! Do I regret it? Yes, every single day that goes by, I do! Are you happy now?!" he fumed, room shaking, causing a dusting of snow to fall. Han rolled his eyes.

"You have too much of your grandfather in you sometimes, you know that?" Kylo smiled, mood lightened a bit.

"I do."

"Is that all you regret?" The dark Jedi paused, eyes distant.

"I regret not being able to save myself from the Dark Side completely. Every time I get a glimpse of my old self, I don't know how to act, what to think, to feel… I'm no longer that person, but apart of me refuses to accept that."

"Identity crisis? Mid-life crisis?" Han joked. Kylo scowled, but averted his gaze.

"Perhaps…" The ghost sighed, placing a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Look, I had my time trying to raise you, to help you to this point. I can't tell you who you are. That's up to you to find out. You call yourself Kylo Ren. *puts hands up* By all means. But inside, somewhere, you're still Ben Solo, whether you like it or not. You can't get rid of it that easy. You have to decide what it is you want."

"And if I want both?" he asked tentatively. "If I wish to keep both sides of my identity?"

"Do I look like I have all the answers to you? I'm here because someone interrupted my break in the afterlife to talk some sense into you!"

"But you would've appeared to me later nonetheless, correct?" He hoped there wasn't as much hope present in his tone as he thought.

"Of course I would've, but like I said, it takes energy, and I hoped I could take all the time I wanted." The two laughed at that. Kylo turned to see a door appear in the wall opposite the way he entered the room. "Guess that's your cue, son." With a clap to his cheek, he was gone in the blink of an eye.

"Goodbye, father," he whispered, getting up and walking through the doorway, which disappeared behind him in the ice, mask back on. He continued towards the singing, which steadily crescendoed with every step, breath visible in the air. As he inspected the glimmering structure of the wall, small ice crystals shimmering despite the poor lighting, he felt the ground give out underneath him, snow crumbling to reveal a tunnel, which he slipped into, landing on his back. He felt himself almost falling as his body followed the slick ice slide he was currently trapped on. He felt like he was in a TIE fighter, enacting evasive maneuvers, turning himself upside down, organs turned inside out. Squashing down his panic, he focused on just getting through whatever this twisted joke was. He immediately took back that thought as he saw the end of the slide… ending in an upward slope. He closed his eyes as he sailed through the air, letting out an undignified yelp as he landed painfully on his back, singing dying down to a whisper. With a groan, he pushed himself up on his hands and knees, sight meeting a pair of familiar suede boots from decades ago. Freezing, he lifted his head and met the sight of warm, almost loving brown eyes. As much as he wished they were real, he knew that they were but a pale imitation. He steadied his voice before speaking. "You're not my mother," he mumbled quietly, words stinging his soul despite the spirit's appearance.

"I'm not, but you know why I'm here," she responded. He nodded, ignoring the lump in his throat and knot in his stomach as he got to his feet.

"You're not here to ask about my personal life, are you?" She had a melancholy look on her face.

"Not particularly, no. I'd wished to ask about your time away from home as a whole-"

"That was never my home. My home is with the Knights of Ren-" He froze when he saw her smirk.

"You never were a good liar. It's the eyes." She stared through the eyeholes of his mask intensely. He always cursed his facial features, overly expressive eyes being one of them. "Your home is not with them, and I know that your home isn't with your father and I. You've found it aboard the _Finalizer_ , haven't you?"

"I'm tired…" he growled, "Of people assuming things that they know nothing about." He clenched his fists at his sides, face flushed, teeth gritted. "You have no right to meddle in my life. I don't care who or what you are, and I certainly don't care about some redhead twink in a uniform with some- Some-!" He roared in frustration, cracks spider-webbing across the walls. Looking around, he was further angered to find himself in a closed room, no openings, windows, doors, _escape routes_ in sight. He would not endure this, not when he'd passed this test long ago.

"Times were different then. **You** were different then. It's not unheard of for a Force user to obtain more than one crystal through numerous trials."

"Is that so? Well, is it not unheard of that a user of the Dark Side turns back to the Light to obtain another crystal?"

"No. Your fate has been foretold so many times that I'm surprised it isn't a prophecy. On the note of your crystal, allow me to ask you this: Are you happy as you are, where you are, as of late? Do you treasure your time as Kylo Ren now or as Kylo Ren when you first joined Snoke?" Kylo glared, anger still very present.

"What's it to you?"

"I'm trying to help you. You can't move forward until you answer me." The ravenette groaned in frustration, begrudgingly accepting that fact. "As a Knight of Ren, when I first served under the Supreme Leader, I felt a sense of higher purpose, of accomplishment, like I wasn't as useless as I used to feel," he answered. "I felt powerful, like I was understood."

"To a certain extent," she added.

"Yes," Kylo responded with a slight tilt of his head. The Leia imitation peered up at him.

"And now?" The knight considered the question, trying to organize his thoughts.

"I feel like I can do anything, unstoppable. I feel as if the galaxy's within my grasp and… Like I've found someone I can trust… Like I'm not alone anymore…" He ended the statement in a tone of wonder, as if just now realising how he felt. "A sense of belonging and of better things to come." The apparition smiled.

"That's all I needed to hear." Walking to the other side of the room, she pressed her hand to the wall to reveal a door leading forward. "Hold onto those feelings. You'll need them in the last chamber." With that, she was gone. Kylo felt his head start to spin as he walked through the door into a darkened chamber, dim light barely filtering in through the miniscule cracks in the ceiling. These weren't even really tests at this point! They felt like nuisances designed to make his path as difficult and aggravating as possible. Forcing him to answer their questions, blocking his way, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. Who did they think they were?! Over a dark chasm was a slippery looking bridge of ice and snow, more of a ramp than anything really. At the top was a small platform surrounded on three sides by a wall of ice, and resting at its center, hanging from a thick,lightsaber shaped icicle, was a kyber crystal. The whispered song nudged him in that direction and, before he knew it, he was a quarter of the way across the bridge before he stopped himself. What was he doing? He turned back. He didn't want, nor did he need, it.

"That's what you think," a rogue voice said from behind. Turning back to the crystal, Kylo's gloved hands slowly rose to remove his mask at the sight, his face that of amazement and reverence. A low whistle from the man. "Well, it's nice to know that at least my good looks run in the family, stubbornness too from what I've heard."

Kneeling at the miracle before him, Kylo uttered, "Grandfather."

Pulling a face of aversion at the motion, he quickly told him, "No, no. Get up, right now. Up, Ben. I'm nothing special." He was dressed in his dark Jedi robes, boots, and gloves, lightsaber absent from his belt, long, flowing brown hair at his shoulders and scars across his face.

"But you are," Kylo insisted, looking up in admiration. "You're Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader. You're the galaxy's best pilot, most gifted Jedi, bravest warrior of the Old Republic."

"I am, was, Jedi Knight that strayed off the path of the Light. I threw the galaxy into Darkness and… killed the one I love. I almost led my son to his death, slaughtered innocents, younglings, I- I'm a disgrace." He chuckled at himself. "I did two good things. One of them was helping to create the life of Luke and Leia. The other was saving my son and the rest of the galaxy from Palpatine's tyrannical rule, just barely."

"Despite your decisions and regrets, you were one of the most powerful, feared, and respected men in the galaxy, a Jedi and a hero in your own right." Anakin gazed at him sadly. "A role model I look up to."

"I'm the last person you should admire," he remarked. His face grew curious. "If that's what you think about me, what do you think of yourself?" Kylo rose. ' _Finally,'_ the Force ghost thought.

"Truthfully, I don't know. Before I returned from Starkiller Base, I had hoped to follow in your footsteps to eliminate the remaining Jedi and become the most powerful Force user in the galaxy. I saw myself as a one who would and could do anything to achieve his desires. Now… I'm not so sure."

"You've changed. You are as I was once. Not Vader or Anakin, but someone in between. I had to choose who I would resemble more, who I'd embrace more. *shakes head* I chose wrong. I'd turned to the Dark Side to prevent a tragedy, and all I did was fulfill the vision I'd seen, cause the tragedy despite my best efforts. You must decide what you want, what kind of person you need to be… Who you need to protect, where your loyalties lie, whether to embrace old allies or destroy them all." All the while, Anakin had made slow, steady steps towards his grandson, stopping in front of him expectantly. "When you figure all that out, only then can you leave here and decide your fate." Walking past him, he paused to lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He continued moving before stopping again. "Oh, and the whole helmet worshipping thing? Flattering, really, but I think you have better things to do than leave me messages in the afterlife, you know?" He stopped at the doorway and observed.

Kylo trained his gaze on the crystal ahead of him. Helmet tucked under his arm, he made his way towards it, leaning forward a bit to combat the bridges incline. When he reached the top, he placed his helmet off to the side and stared at his crystal. It glistened in the dim ray of light upon it, whispering a sweet tune. He reached for it hesitantly before retracting his hand. He considered his ancestor's words. He had choices to make before he could take it, choices he was unprepared for. He thought on his most recent memories since the fall of Starkiller and a warmth filled him, bestowing in him some much needed confidence. Trusting himself, and the Force to help guide him, he gently plucked the crystal from its place. The singing stopped, replaced by a feeling of completion, as if he'd regained a part of himself he didn't know he'd lost. He looked at the crystal fondly, a little excited to see where it would lead him, before pocketing it within his robes. Before he could further contemplate it, the ice and snow beneath him gave way, and he found himself falling fast. He landed on his stomach, wind partially knocked out of him, having had it today with his falling and rough landings. Distantly, he thought he heard the Skywalker laugh above him.

XxX

Hux started when the ceiling above him to his left collapsed and he heard a heavy thud. When the air cleared, he saw that it was Kylo who had fallen, laying on his stomach with his head in the snow. He rushed over to him, crouching down beside him in worry. His friend looked up, disoriented. "Are you alright, Kylo?" the ginger inquired softly in concern, smoothing Kylo's dark locks out of his face and behind his ears, gentle. He felt the knight lean into the touch with a shiver and soft sigh, turning his face into the contact.

"I think so," Kylo replied, slowly clambering to his feet. He looked past the general to a dark chamber that held a high pedestal. On it, rather, floating a few inches above it, was a kyber crystal, its light illuminating the room in a bright rainbow of swirling color. "It's just as I saw it," he told Hux. The redhead turned around, noticing the chamber for the first time. His eyes lit up as a whisper of the melody met his ears once more. Kylo noticed Hux's fox ears present, and the absence of the commander's boots as well.

"Shall we?" Hux asked, not waiting for a response as he proceeded. He easily traversed the ice, making it across to the hard, snow packed wall. Flexing his claws and squatting down, he leaped upwards, claws sinking in a few feet above his height. They observed the wall as its surface changed, climbing grooves appearing to make Hux's task easier. Once he reached the top of the wall, he stretched his right arm towards the crystal, which gravitated slightly towards him. He extended his hand as far as it would go, eyes narrowed in concentration and focus. Just as a fingertip brushed it, the entire cave shook, almost throwing him off balance. His hand jutted forward, desperately grasping for the crystal, before he lost his grip and felt gravity drag him down.

"Hux!" the black clad warrior screamed as he almost lost his footing from the shaking. Kylo, who had been watching in earnest from afar, ran forward, intent on getting to Hux before he could land. Of course, he could've used the Force to stop his fall, but the thought didn't occur to him until he felt the ice splinter and give under his feet. The ginger landed on all fours, hands in fists.

"Kylo!" he shouted, darting forward and securing his grip on the knight's forearm before he could fully fall through. His clawed feet were the only things keeping them from tumbling downward. Hux grit his teeth, trying his best to pull them back up to no avail. Kylo had his other hand on the edge of the hole threatening to swallow them, threatening to pull them to their end. "Hold on. Hold on…" Just as it seemed they would safely make it back up, a mini earthquake ripped through the cave, sending them dropping through the ice with yells. They collided with several floors, passing through them, before finally crashing in a heap on the ground level of the floor. Hux opened his eyes, which had shut during their fall, to find himself lying on top of Kylo, who blushed profusely. Someone cleared their throat to their right. The two looked to see one flustered stormtrooper with a hand raised to his mouth, the one who cleared his throat. Behind him, Phasma was shaking her head at two troopers holding a beat up rocket launcher and one with a bag of thermal detonators.

"Um, sirs?" The first 'trooper piped up. Phasma glanced over and blanched behind her helmet. Hux and Kylo scrambled up briefly, mumbling hushed apologies, both looking none the worse for wear. Hux spotted his boots a few feet away, relieved when he felt that his claws and fox ears were not visible. Feet suddenly freezing, he hastily tried to pull them on, tensing when his foot met cool metal poking it. Phasma turned her attention to Kylo.

"Lord Ren?" she asked, not knowing how to react to the sight of his face. She'd caught a glimpse of it when a few 'troopers carried him into the medbay following Starkiller's destruction. He looked so young, so exposed, the scar across his face marring his mismatched features. Kylo, alarmed, turned his face away, knowing the damage had already been done and the captain had seen him. He focused instead on Hux, who extracted-

"Saber parts?" Kylo was stunned. "Where did those come from?" Hux gestured to his boots. "Did you get it?" the ravenette asked, thoughts geared towards earlier. The general smirked and held up his crystal, undamaged in the fall. Pulling on his boots and pocketing the parts and crystal, he, and Kylo, turned to Phasma and the cave entrance. Thick sheets of hollow ice lay shattered around it, nightfall light filtering in, snow falling in slow, gentle waves. "I thought I told you that we would be perfectly fine, Captain?" he spat at her, annoyed.

"You should be thanking me, Lord Ren. Had we not arrived, you would've been trapped in here for the remainder of the night," she remarked. "And besides, if anyone is to blame, it's those three. *gestures over her shoulder*" FN-2145, 2077, and 2100 stood sheepishly by the incriminating explosive evidence, shrapnel lying around them. Kylo walked over to the part of the ice wall that remained intact and largely unharmed around the entrance. With no effort, he lightly punched the surface, which slowly cracked before shattering and falling away at his feet. He turned back to her.

"I've been here before. Your master leads you to believe that the ice freezing over the cave will seal you in for the night, when in reality its merely an illusion, weak and brittle, easy to break. We would've been fine." He pulled his cowl over his head. "We should return to the _Finalizer_ ," he commented. Signaling to her 'troopers, they and the two commanders headed for the shuttle that would take them back. From the cave entrance, Obi-Wan and Anakin watched them side by side.

"Do you think they'll be alright, master?" Anakin questioned.

"You needn't address me as such anymore, Anakin… *sigh* I think they'll be just fine, but only time will tell."

"I guess." He crossed his arms and let out a breath. "But if their fate is as the Force foretells-"

"Do you remember what happened the last time you tried to stop a vision from happening? Let them choose their own paths. They'll know what to do when the time comes. At least, I hope they will." Anakin smirked.

"Ha! Where's your optimism, Obi-Wan? Have a little faith. They will. *serious voice* I know they will." ' _Be safe, you two,'_ he thought, closing his eyes. Obi-Wan put an arm around his former apprentice and redeemed best friend, looking to the stars. ' _May the Force be with you, Kylo, Armitage.'_ With a blast of icy wind, they were gone.

Closing A/N: Nice and long, as promised. Woo! So, Spring Break was the week I cranked out the first 6 parts of this fic, and with the end of the semester and AP and final exams almost here, I won't have a lot of time to write and update. Well, not as much as I usually do. (Instead of studying for my tests right now, I'm finishing this). I hope this… close to 9,000 word chapter is enough to keep you entertained for the moment if I suddenly go radio silent. Also, since I'm a lazy beta of my own work, if I haven't mentioned before, I apologize for any errors that will undoubtedly drive me insane when I read this after it's posted. See y'all next chapter!


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven: Mysteries and Things to Come

A/N: A continuation of sorts from last chapter. On a side note, It's summer vacation! Though I will still be extremely busy, I will be updating. This chapter has simply presented me with a few (numerous) issues plot and organization wise. My head's a mess with this. Up until a few days ago, it was pieces of the next two-ish chapters thrown into one document in random order *mind explodes*. With that being said, here's the next chapter.

Kylo spent hours in semi-meditation, channeling his Force signature through his crystal, half aware of his surroundings and completely focused. He noticed subtle differences in it since the last time he'd stopped to examine it. It was no longer cold as steel and running rampant around him, but rather a fiery spirit in a sort of controlled chaos that only he understood. He let himself go, allowing the Force to temporarily take him from his body as he tuned his crystal. It was nice, not having to accept any of his responsibilities or deal with anything in particular. In rare moments like this, he could just **be**.

He could hear the idle chatter and surface thoughts of the crew, feel the tension and concentration of every officer and stormtrooper. He felt the individual molecules of the air, the cells in his body, the steady _thump_ of his heart, the blood pumping through his veins. His emotions were but a fleeting presence at the moment, there, but not a part of him, and he was so far away from any connection to his body that he could probably go without breathing or ever worrying about bodily functions again. It was a source of inner peace that he could only fathom while meditating.

The process required that you be one with the Force. Depending on your Force-sensitivity, as in Ren's case, that phrase could be taken literally. When you look at your crystal after tuning it to your signature, you should be able to see a part of yourself in it. You should be able to observe a part of your personality as a saber wielder, characteristics of your fighting style, and your spirit as a Force user. If you do it in one sitting, and do it correctly, you'll be able to feel and see those things whenever you make physical, or eye, contact with your lightsaber. The process could be done in several separate sittings, of course, a short time apart, no more than a day and a half. Kylo had never been the patient type, however. He always chose to finish the task as soon as possible, yet still put in twice as much effort than required, ensuring he'd do things perfectly. When he felt the Force flow steadily through all things once more and not in turbulent waves around his quarters, he knew his work was done.

He only came back to himself when the process had been completed, opening his eyes, gold rimmed pupils, to the bewildered stare of a certain ginger general. Hux had decided, after an awful bit of paperwork concerning a mishap in the heavy weapons and explosive departments, to tune his crystal over two days as opposed to Kylo's one. He'd just finished mere moments ago, strolling into Kylo's room to find every piece of furniture and every individual item floating calmly in the air. The knight had had a curled palm out, crystal levitating inches above it, the air humming with untamable energy. Kylo was so perfectly attuned to his task that Hux could literally _**see the Force**_. Dark and light tendrils evenly mixed in the air in loopy waves, always flowing at a constant, steady pace. He saw it flow through Kylo and himself, and he was astonished at the breathtaking sight. The unfamiliar sense of nothingness and serenity enveloped him, and he welcomed it gladly. Though his doubts about the mystical energy still lingered, barely there were they now.

"I trust you achieved success as well?" Kylo asked, voice calm, clear, breaking the silence. The objects slowly and silently lowered to their respected positions, as did Kylo's cross-legged form, crystal clutched loosely in his hand. The gold rimming of his pupils disappeared, only to reappear as flecks and tiny specks in his usual solid chocolate eyes. Hux had never taken the time to observe the knight, but he could hardly resist at the moment. The cut sustained from Rey's assault remained, embellishing the left side of his young face. His longer than average nose and slightly overlarge ears did nothing to subtract from his handsome looks. His wavy, soft looking raven black curls framed his face just so, flowing over his shoulders. His expressive, battle hardened, passionate eyes analyzed him with every passing second. The tight, dark shirt and leggings he donned did nothing to hide the straining, what Kylo referred to as his, _eight pack and ripped body_ (his words, not Hux's), muscles flexing slightly with each movement. Had Hux not been the man he was, he would feel a bit jealous, did, for a fleeting, basically nonexistent moment in time, feel jealous.

"My body is almost as amazing as yours, Hux. Don't sell yourself short." The general flushed slightly, to Kylo's amusement. "For all your impenetrable mental barriers and minor shields, you project your thoughts as if you want the entire galaxy to hear them, though perhaps it's just my connection to the Force at the moment." The ginger felt slight embarrassment creep up his cheeks and his neck at the comments. "You don't need to have the most built figure to capture someone's attention, certainly not someone such as yourself."

"You were always more open like this, when you were deeply connected. It's nice sometimes, but rather… disconcerting during others."

"Like now? Forgive me for my bluntness, Hux. I just… I feel _amazing_ , like I can do or say anything and all will be right with the world." He stood up from his position, saber parts floating by his side of their own accord, some from his old crossguard design and some of newer craftsmanship. "Shall I join you in the next step?" The redhead nodded as they made their way to his quarters. They situated themselves opposite each other on Hux's spacious bed, parts laid out in front of them. "A lot of engineering comes into play here. You should have no problem putting your lightsaber together. You may not need my help at all. Shall I explain the parts anyway?"

"Briefly," Hux responded. He was already putting the pieces together in his mind, despite the fact that he seemed to have extra parts.

"The hilt exterior is called the outer casing. It can be made of any material you wish, so long as it can be manipulated without much effort. Depending on the sort of blade you want, that will determine its shape and style." Hux examined the lightweight, balanced material in his hands, nearly double the amount Kylo had.

"Is there a reason I have so many parts?" he inquired. Ren chewed on the thought.

"The Force gifted you those parts. Perhaps it's got a special kind of saber in mind for you." Hux looked back at his available materials. "These next parts are part of your power assembly in the bottom of your saber, lying on top of a recharge socket. First, you have the power cell, surrounded by a field conductor, which ensures that no energy is lost or directed to places it isn't needed. Around the conductor is the vortex ring, which contains the energy created by the power cell to produce the blade. The power insulator protects your saber from surges that would otherwise short out or send feedback to the saber. Finally, there's the energy gate found right below your kyber crystal." He would point at each part for every description, prompting Hux to arrange them on his side of the bed as a sort of physical blueprint. "Next is the crystal chamber, which is self explanatory. All I'll say is that you must ensure that your crystal is aligned exactly as it should be to prevent you from injuring yourself. Lastly, in addition to outer controls, is the emitter. The energy from the power cell flows through it to the cycling field energisers, where it's converted into arc wave energy, so as to conserve power. The modulation circuits will start the energisers, which will channel energy from the lower half of the saber. The emitter matrix is where the blade becomes visible, protected by a high-energy flux aperture so your hand is safe from the blade's energy."

"And this is a… focus lense of sorts here?" Hux held up a small round piece of glass carefully between two fingers. Kylo nodded.

"See? You don't need my help." Hux watched as Kylo began assembling a few components. "As I'm really just modifying a few things, this should only take me about… a week I suppose, several days perhaps."

"And for me? How long should it take?"

"For most people? A few weeks, perhaps a month."

"A month," the ginger repeated. His gaze drifted back to the pile of parts before him. With his duties as general and the beginning of planning for a second Starkiller-

"Relax, Hux. The Force will ensure that your task is complete and that your duties and responsibilities are fulfilled as well."

"I wish I could say I believe you fully," Hux remarked. He picked up his crystal, slightly humming as he felt for his Force signature. "Are we to begin?" The ravenette nodded again, and their conversation dissolved into a comfortable silence, parts floating through the air, postures relaxed.

XxX

Kylo had hardly left his quarters since then. With his mask lost in the caves of Ilum, and he knew he wasn't getting it back, he had to rely on his cowl to conceal his face. It could only do so much, and he figured that it wasn't worth the risk. About a month had passed since that night, and a few minutes before midnight, Hux triumphantly presented his finished saber to Kylo, who had finished his saber a little over two and a half weeks earlier. Hux's saber was longer than average, about a foot and a half, with multiple exterior features that Kylo didn't understand the purpose of. He didn't question it, however, only handed it back to the ginger and said, "Show me it works." Backing away a few feet, he watched as Hux gripped it in both hands, uncertain but determined. Pressing the topmost looking switch, a white laser materialized, gold freely crackling throughout the pale beam. Hux gave a few experimental waves, satisfied with the feel of the surprisingly light and balanced reinforced durasteel hilt. The steady hum was music to his ears and he deactivated it with a grin.

"What of yours?" Hux asked enthusiastically. "How did it turn out?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't tested it. The time doesn't feel right; almost, but not quite."

"It must be driving you mad," the redhead remarked.

"What?"

"You haven't destroyed a room, stabbed someone or something, or done any technique work whatsoever in over a month." Kylo considered the comment.

"I do miss it, but I've had more important things to deal with…" He stood from his seat on his bed. Speaking of important things, Hux's Force-sensitivity wasn't something they'd be able to hide forever. Should the need arise for him to use his abilities, such as in a life or death situation, he should have the proper, full training. He knew that bringing this up was a dangerous idea, but he had to try. Hux loathed the fact that he had his abilities, despised having to use them. His acceptance didn't bring a change of heart with it regarding that. The least Kylo could do was try though. "You need a teacher," he began quietly. "I can show you the ways of the Force, open up your mind to things you never dreamed possible."

"You're not seriously trying to- We've been over this, Kylo. You've taught me enough. I'm grateful that you wish to do more, but-"

"After the things I've forseen, you still cannot accept your fate?" The ravenette felt his anger begin to bubble to the surface. "It was foreseen that you would find your crystal. It was foreseen that you would come to find use in your abilities," he hissed. "Whether you like it or not, you're a Force user, and a threat. What if others found about about you? The Resistance, the First Order, the Supreme Leader. You need to learn how to wield your abilities. Let me help you!"

Hux, gritting his teeth, replied, "I allowed your instruction once because I agreed to help you finish your training. The circumstances are different now, but my opinion is not. I don't want nor need the Force, nor do I wish to train. Vision be damned-" Kylo slammed a fist down on his empty desk, effectively putting a decent sized hole in the surface.

"I have not spent," he began, hands curling into tight fists, "The better part of a month being overly patient with you for you to just take your lightsaber and go! That's not how this works. That's not how the Force works!" He heard wood splintering off to the side, but at the moment he couldn't care less. Hux quickly sent waves of calm through the Force to him, an ability he hadn't had the chance to try yet. Kylo tensed at that before his muscles relaxed a bit, though anger still radiated from him.

"I did not mean to give you that impression, Kylo. I'm simply saying that I don't wish to train more in the Force. I see no point in it nor do I have any desire to." The knight looked agitated.

"There is a point. If you wish to be able to defend yourself from the increasing Resistance attacks on our planets and ships, you must train. I'm trying to help you, Hux! If not for your safety, for my sanity." The ginger eyed the ravenette.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but do I detect a hint of worry in your voice?" Hux felt grateful that he at least seemed to care. Kylo scoffed.

"Would you rather I go back to not giving a care about you?"

"No," Hux declared almost immediately. The Force user seemed shocked at the response. "I… Forgive my rudeness, Kylo. If you're still willing, perhaps… Perhaps we can try?" Hux wasn't one to change his mind easily, but maybe… Even though he couldn't finish the thought, there was still the possibility that he might actually start to believe… He shook the thought away, but he couldn't shake away a feeling. He couldn't describe its source, but it felt as though Kylo's suggestion was right, meant to happen. It was silly and cliche he knew, but still…

"Of course we can," the younger man replied somewhat calmer, "But after a decent night's sleep." His gaze shifted to what once was his largely unused desk and the remains of a dresser. He groaned internally, knowing he'd have to get them replaced later. Hux pocketed his lightsaber in his sleep pants, having annoyed the man enough, hovering by Kylo's door hesitantly. He did not wish to leave. He enjoyed Kylo's company, his friendship, his presence. He admonished himself, trying to clear his thoughts when the knight piped up nervously, "You can stay. If you wish…" He stood by his bed partly dressed (shirtless), covers pulled back, still, nervous. Hux, trying not to let his relief show, slowly made his way towards the bed. He placed his lightsaber next to Kylo's on a nightstand identical to his own before climbing in, thankful for the faded, yet still comfortable heat that met him. Kylo climbed in and lay to one side, flat on his back. Hux rolled over on his side, facing away from the knight. He took a breath, preparing to speak, of what he did not know. "Don't," Kylo interrupted.

" … Goodnight, Kylo," he whispered instead, subtly moving towards the source of the warmth. Kylo could be a human heater with his abnormally high body temperature. They closed their eyes, trying to put the awkward and, frankly, pointless encounter behind them.

XxX

Kylo awoke to a comfortable weight on his chest. It didn't obstruct his breathing, but it shouldn't be there. Perhaps Hux had ended up using him as a pillow? His arm reached out to shake the ginger gently awake, but his hand met cold sheets. His eyes snapped open and his head whipped to the side. No Hux. That's when his gaze slowly traveled to his chest, where a red fox the size of a large house cat dozed serenely on his bare chest. He became acutely aware of its silky fur and smooth claws, its gentle puffs of breath and pads tickling his skin. He shivered, breathing quickly getting out of hand. This must have awakened the creature, for it yawned, eyes slowly sliding open. Blinking rapidly, its eyes turned and met his, a kind warmth present in them. It tilted its head in confusion before looking to the empty space next to him. It instantly scrambled off of him, falling near the edge of the bed with a _yip!_ It shook its head and batted at its face with its paws, as if trying to awaken from a bad dream. Its icy blue-green eyes were cloaked in fear and confusion, and Kylo reached out to it using the Force. It faltered, blinking before looking to him. Apprehensively, it approached him and Kylo reached out a hand to it. With a sniff, it pressed up against him and snuggled into the contact. Its thoughts read _Kylo_ and _safe_. How the fox knew his identity was beyond him.

"Hey there, little guy," Kylo cooed before realizing what he said and frowning at himself. That was not something the great Kylo Ren would say. He shook his head, gasping as the fox nipped his hand.

' _I'm not little,'_ it growled internally. ' _My being in this form doesn't give you the right to-'_ My being in this form?

"Hux?!" Kylo exclaimed. "Hux is that you?" The fox glared at him, opening and then closing its mouth. It growled and hacked, though not threateningly, until it spoke.

"O-Of c-course its m-me. *bark* … What did y-you expect?" He let out a sort of coughing noise. ' _Talking strains me when I'm like this. It's been so long since I've gone through a full transformation. My body has to get used to it again.'_ The knight ran a hand behind Hux's ears, drawing a smile out of the… crea… ture? His thoughts were too scrambled to find a suitable way to address him.

"What caused this?" Kylo asked. "You said certain things can trigger changes, but…" He glanced at the fox general. "What could trigger something this extreme?" Hux continued smiling before shaking his head, trying not to give into more primal, animalistic urges.

' _I… do not wish to talk about it… At any rate, I need to get down to the bridge.'_

"In that form?"

"Of course n-not." The vulpine pressed his snout back to Kylo's hand and took deep breaths, imagining himself as normal. Slowly, his form reverted back to that of a human, with some fox parts remaining. Kylo considered this his half-fox form. It wasn't until Hux scooted across the bed and bent down to pick up his clothes that Kylo realised the redhead was naked. He blushed at that thought, averting his gaze. Hux, who had haphazardly pulled on his clothes, said he would be right back before exiting his quarters, presumably for his uniform. The ravenette didn't know what to think of the situation, robotically showering and dressing as Hux returned. His cap, saved usually for special occasions, hung low over his eyes, obscuring them and his ears from view. His tail was tucked into his pants, discomfort mildly present on his face. His gloved hands twitched nervously and he shuffled his feet. Standing still for hours on end, in that form, would drive Kylo up a wall.

"Will you be alright?" Kylo questioned, holding out the general's saber, which Hux slid into the pocket of his greatcoat. "You seem a bit on edge."

"Things have… escalated slightly in the past month. The crew's abnormal behavior, the plans for the new Starkiller, our meeting with the rest of the Star Destroyer commanders looming near… My patience and nerves are wearing thin, and now that I don't have my lightsaber constructing to distract me from that…"

"It's all caught up with you," Kylo finished quietly. Hux nodded, eyes cast downward. "You're you though, Hux. You'll be fine." A chuckle.

"I appreciate your confidence in me." Kylo, returning the favor from the previous night, sent waves of calm and reassurance to Hux, who closed his eyes and drank it in. "Thank you," he mumbled. Kylo nodded and, with his cowl pulled as low as possible, accompanied Hux to the bridge. The atmosphere as of late had been different, begrudging almost. They were reluctant sometimes in their actions, those with loyalty only to the First Order. However, there were those like Mitaka and Phasma who every day seemed to try and go out of their way for Hux. Hux's presence today was greeted by fewer salutes than usual, some only giving half hearted respectful general either didn't notice or didn't care. Kylo assumed the latter. In the four months since Starkiller's destruction, a vast majority of the crew seemed to have lost hope in their general, though they'd never voice the thought aloud.

' _Poor general,'_ he heard one of the officers think to themselves. ' _I think this whole Starkiller business has finally gotten to him. Just look at the state he's in!'_ Kylo felt for Hux's usually bright and powerful Force signature, a bit saddened to feel a sense of self loathing come from it. He let the thought go when he heard a quiet, "Lord Ren, sir?" He turned to meet the sight of Lieutenant Mitaka, nervous posture and all. "I don't mean to pry, but… Is the general alright? He's seemed a bit… down lately, and I worry for him- his health, I mean!"

"I don't rightly know," the dark Jedi finally spoke, startling the man with his true voice. "Something is bothering him and he refuses to tell me what, says it's "stress." No excuse as pitiful as that would fool anyone." Mitaka seemed taken aback that he was actually having a civil, non violent conversation with Kylo. With a nod, he retreated, only to approach the general and inquire about his well being.

"General?" Mitaka asked, genuinely concerned. Hux turned towards him a fraction.

"Dopheld. I trust everything is in order and my ship is in peak condition?" he replied casually.

"Y-Yes, of course, sir. I actually came to ask about… um…" Hux raised a brow in curiosity.

"Is it a personal matter?" Mitaka nodded and Hux was relieved for the chance to excuse himself from the bridge. "Very well. Come with me. (to the crew) Lieutenant Starks has the bridge!" Kylo, who had approached near the end of the conversation, joined them. Mitaka seemed a bit unnerved by the added presence. Hux noticed. "Rest assured that Ren can be trusted, despite his actions and intentions," he comforted.

"I merely wished to ask if… Uh, if you were… feeling alright, General. You've been a bit distanced lately and I… wondered if I could help in any way." Mitaka's concern surprised him, as his face showed before it fell.

"No, I'm afraid not. I thank you for your concern, Mitaka, but this isn't something you can assist with. My demeanor as of late is through no fault but my own. What you can do is start making preparations for the commanders' meeting next week."

"Next week? Here?" Kylo asked. "I thought the _Victory_ was hosting it this year?"

"As did we," Mitaka responded, "But it seems it was moved last minute. Commanders Arnett and Shepard requested so as well the day before it was moved. Am… Am I to attend as well, sir?"

"Of course you are," the ginger told him. "You and Phasma are to accompany Lord Ren and I." Kylo groaned.

"Must I go?" he whined. "The last time didn't exactly end well and I doubt this time will go any better."

"Not everyone believes in the Force, Kylo. There are some who never will. You must accept that fact. I don't want to hear how you Force choked half of our guest unconscious-"

"It was five people last time. **Five**. Besides, I warned them not to test me."

" **Five** of our **thirteen** guests." Mitaka didn't know how to react to the seemingly light banter between the two. It was such an odd sight to him.

"Will that be all, sir?" Hux stopped and observed the Lieutenant. Mitaka was speechless at the sight of the general's non human eyes. " *gulp* Sir?"

"For now, yes, and I'd recommend enjoying the rest of your day off while you still can." The pair left the speechless lieutenant behind as they proceeded down the corridor.

"Day off?" Kylo asked. "Really?"

"He has all the character traits an officer ought not to have, but his heart is the one exception. Dopheld cares, unlike most people. It's a nice change sometimes."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you like him," Kylo teased, though truly uneasy at the thought.

"I admit I may have a soft spot for him. I trust him with a great deal many things, more than I should sometimes. However, he's never let me down thus far." Before Kylo could respond, Phasma came barreling in their direction, skidding to a halt a hair's breadth from Hux.

"Armi, *pant pant* you need to see this. You too, Lord Ren." As quickly as she arrived, she was sprinting back to the conference room from which she came, Hux and Kylo not far behind her. She burst through the doors, startling the few higher ranking officers watching an action packed holo-vid. There was live footage of a battle happening on one of the First Order's resource planets. A legion of 'troopers were holding their own against a group of Resistance fighters, until two blurs appeared, cutting down the stormtroopers with ease. A blue and green beam of light both accompanied the two blurs, who turned out to be a young girl and- The image disappeared as the device supplying the video exploded into bits of metal and wiring, not destroyed, just separated into parts. The ravenette's breathing was ragged as he tried to hold himself in check. Hux extended a hand in his direction in warning.

"Where was that footage from?" the knight demanded. When no one would answer, he took his fist and smashed it through the wall, creating a hole the size of his head there. "I asked a question! Where. Was. That. Footage. From?"

"Lothal," Phasma answered evenly. "Apparently, the Resistance has been offering aid and relief to them since the times of the Empire. Once we seized control, they had to do so in secret. However, ever since we caught word of their continued activities, we've deployed 'troopers on the planet, mostly in the cities. It looks like they've decided to fight back finally, with their secret weapons." The ginger looked to Kylo uncertainly, both thinking the same thing and not liking its projected outcome.

"Have no reinforcements been sent?" Hux questioned, falling into his usual General persona.

"None have been requested, sir. Last person to check in reported that they were winning by a huge margin on the field, until the footage was broadcast." Hux scowled in frustration before seeing Kylo stride towards the door in his peripheral vision.

"Ren! Where do you think you're going?" The dark Jedi turned to him with a glare.

"Luke Skywalker has given up his location as well as that of the girl. I plan on taking full advantage of that."

"By yourself? Against both of them?"

One of the officers commented, "You apparently couldn't even dispose of the girl. What makes you think you can defeat both her and a fully trained Jedi-"

"Four months has been more than enough time for me to finish my training and grow stronger, stronger than you can fathom. I've defeated Skywalker once before and I'll do it again. They're no match for me now." He said this calmly, confidently, despite the malice present in his eyes. He raised a hand, and the officer's automatically rose to protect his throat. He was instead stunned to see the projector put itself back together and land gently back on the table. The footage continued playing, this time showing a supply depot near the city's hangar bay, Luke and Rey surveilling the area as more ships landed. He continued striding out the door, and Hux looked ready to collapse in exhaustion. Instead, he quickly caught up with Kylo, who was headed towards his personal shuttle.

"Are you out of your kriffing mind? You want to march into a Resistance infested area, guarded by Jedi, I might add, to do… what exactly?" The knight didn't respond. "Kylo!" Hux grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop.

"I need answers," he replied adamantly. "I know the two are with the Resistance. Their location is of no importance to me at the moment. I simply wish to speak with them."

"With whom?" He got no answer. "I won't let you run off for no reason!"

"The Resistance. I wish to speak with them… With their general." Hux was dumbfounded. "Don't give me that look. I know what I'm doing. I have a plan."

"Oh, do enlighten me then," the ginger snapped. "You wish to speak with Leia Organa, for whatever reason, who'll probably have you locked up-"

"She's my mother!" Kylo exclaimed. "Besides, they won't hurt me, Hux. They can't. Once I make it known to them that I come with peaceful intentions-"

"Kylo Ren and any form of peace do not go together."

"That's your opinion. Do with it what you will. Regardless, I am going. I will not fail; you will not stop me." He continued towards his shuttle. Hux, begrudgingly, followed.

"Then I'm coming with you-"

"So you can get yourself killed or imprisoned? I don't think so."

"You wouldn't let them do that," he stated matter of factly with a sideways smile.

" *internally blushes* According to whom?"

"I just know."

"Do you?"

" **Yes** ," he stressed. "Now, what is this likely idiotic plan of yours? Charge in guns blazing, in my case, and with your lightsaber?" The black clad warrior sighed, knowing the general wouldn't be swayed.

"Get your things and then, perhaps, I'll tell you. Shall I wait here?" Hux scoffed.

"So you can leave before I return? Absolutely not."

"What, Hux, do you not trust me?" The ginger frowned despite the teasing tone.

"I trust you more than you think. However, I know that Skywalker and your own personal issues are more important to you than my peace of mind. Technically, it takes precedent over my own wishes, but know that I **will** hunt you down if you leave me behind." His fox eyes flashed dangerously with his last statement. Kylo raised an eyebrow.

"No need to make threats- excuse me, a promise, I assume. Would you rather I-"

"I'll be keeping this attire on, and even if I wasn't, if it so pleased you to watch, then by all means." It surprised Kylo, his even tone of voice, despite knowing how insecure of his body Hux was. The ginger led the way back to his quarters.

"I wouldn't look… much if it bothered you so."

"It doesn't bother me," he replied, almost snapping at him, instead using what little patience he had to control his voice. "So, what shall I bring? My pistols and rifle are obvious… My lightsaber?" Kylo contemplated that. Hux had no formal training with a saber whatsoever, so busy with the plans for Starkiller's successor that they hadn't had the time. It might be nice to have in case of an emergency, but if his abilities were revealed to the Resistance… Was it a risk he should take? "I'll keep it on my person should the need to use it arise I suppose."

"You won't need it," Kylo told him. "Not at first at least. I cannot guarantee that once we're inside." Hux hummed, troubled by that statement, in reply. He keyed in the code to his quarters and the door slid smoothly aside. Carefully rummaging around his closet, he retrieved his pistols and sniper rifle. Then, experimentally, drew his saber into his hand with the Force. He ignited it as he swung downwards, listening to it hum strongly with a half smile before deactivating it and clipping it to his belt.

"That is… strangely satisfying." Kylo chuckled, amused. " *picks up and speaks into comm link* Phasma, you and Mitaka have the ship while Lord Ren and I… investigate the contents of that holovid."

" _Armi, you can't be serious right now. You're supposed to be the responsible one and keep him here, not go along with whatever he says!_ "

"I **am** being responsible. I'm going with him to ensure we don't have to break him out of a prison cell later. Trust me, I know what I'm doing." She didn't seem convinced, but relented.

" _If you come back with as much as_ _ **one**_ _scratch or bullet wound-_ "

" *chuckles* Don't worry, Phasma. We'll return soon, safely." He pocketed the device and turned to Kylo.

"Ready to go?" Hux settled his greatcoat over his shoulders and nodded. They left his quarters once more. "And you thought I would leave you behind."

"I didn't want to take chances."

"You'd find a way to follow me to Lothal; admit it. Regardless, I wouldn't have heard the end of it from you after my return if I had left you."

"So we… what? Do we fight our way through them until we reach the Jedi? Do we hack their communications on planet to send the Resistance a message? Are we just going to waltz into the battle and go from there?" Kylo seemed unsure how to answer.

"Uh… well, I… was thinking that we could, um… We could sneak aboard a supplies ship heading back to Resistance HQ, which we'll then infiltrate without being seen until we find… their… general…" His voice got less and less confident every word, withering under Hux's calculating gaze.

"In other words, you think we can get away with boarding an enemy shuttle, sneaking into their base of operations, and holding a secret meeting with their leader, undetected, without being shot at, imprisoned, or killed?" Kylo tried to decide whether to meekly nod or glower and defend his plan. It wasn't the **worst** thing in the world, better than improvising at least. Besides, he didn't hear Hux supplying him with an alternative plan.

"What do you suggest we do then, Mr. Master Strategist? I don't hear you coming up with a plan!"

"I'm not criticizing. I'm simply pointing out everything that could potentially and most likely go wrong. I never said it was a bad plan." The ginger's level-headedness continued to surprise the dark Jedi.

"You're not…?"

"No. I'm perfectly fine with going along with it. If, for any reason, something goes amiss, however, I will not hesitate to point out just whose fault it is for getting us into this mess." Kylo smirked as the shuttle came back into view after a few minutes.

"You agreed to come along," Kylo pointed out.

"Yes, but let's be honest: Do you really think I'd let you go in alone after all I've done to keep you breathing?" The sincerity in those words and that fox grin showed Kylo yet again just how mysterious and full of surprises Hux could be.

Closing A/N: So, this chapter was a bit of a jumbled mess. I threw in a lot of… what's the phrase I'm looking for? Anyway, I threw in a lot of smaller plot scenes, with the whole saber and fox plots being further explored in later chapters. Feel free to bash my work on this and probably the next chapter, if you want.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight: Honesty

A/N: As with the last chapter, this is a mess, all of it. The beginning takes place a bit before the start of the last chapter, transitioning into a continuation of last chapter. I'm trying to be a bit straightforward as far as some character developments and plot details are concerned here, what with all the confusingness, in my opinion, in my writing. This'll probably be even more confusing at the end. Apologies if this turns out to be crap as a result.

It started out with the little things. He might catch the occasional eye roll just as he was turning away, or a reluctant response, but the crew acted the same as usual for the most part. He thought the atmosphere had changed because they'd spent time under Phasma's command during his time at Snoke's citadel, or perhaps it was because he had finally found common ground with Kylo. Either way, the crew was different. It got progressively worse as time went on, with officers steering clear of him unless they absolutely had to be near him, or when his meetings were mostly silent, save for his "lecturing," as some would call it. It wasn't until he caught stray thoughts, not that he was trying to read anyone's mind as they were simply projecting unknowingly, that he felt his walls begin to crack.

' _… still thinks he has a right to command a ship…'_

 _'_ _… failure of a general…'_

 _'How he puts on the facade of being unaffected is beyond me…'_

 _' … can't stand to look at him another second…'_

 _'Ignore them,'_ a familiar voice echoed in his head. Hux looked around until his eyes landed on Kylo, stood halfway across the bridge, tucked into a corner. ' _They have no idea what you went through to get this far or what you sacrificed for the First Order. Don't let them get to you._ ' Even with waves of, dare he say, comfort, sent to him, Hux frowned, taking up his usual position and spot on the bridge. Ilum was off limits for Starkiller, but now officially under First Order control should anyone try to claim it, as if they could. Ever since the journey through the caves, he'd become much more self conscious, around everyone really, but especially Kylo. He spent less time with the crew since noticing their behavioral changes, though a few members still chose to sit with him during his meals in the mess hall. He buried himself in paperwork, often having sleepless nights and exhausting days to follow them. He had even spent less time with Phasma, whose worry he quickly began to resent.

"General," Kylo addressed Hux, cowl pulled low over his exposed face.

"Lord Ren," Hux acknowledged. His presence should've been a comfort, but it instead felt like a shot to the gut. He couldn't meet his eyes.

"Hux, are you alright?" The redhead swallowed at the genuine concern.

"… No. No, I'm not alright, but now is hardly the time to discuss the matter." Kylo frowned at that.

"Come find me after your shift then. Perhaps we could discuss it then?"

"I don't have time to-"

"You have time to find a kyber crystal and train with me for months on end, but not to have a short conversation? *scoffs* You never cease to-"

"What do you want, Kylo?" he finally asked, frustrated. "Is it not enough that I have to deal with my crew and their increasingly cold, hostile behavior along with my own demons? Must I have to deal with your pestering me-?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know being concerned was the same thing as pestering you," the ravenette shot back.

"Just answer the kriffing question and-"

"I want some honesty, okay?" he hissed. That caught Hux off guard. "I just want you to tell me what is bothering you and why, and if I can help because I don't want another day to go by where I have to watch you drag yourself across the ship with dead eyes. You used to be so passionate and dedicated. Now…"

"That hasn't changed," Hux responded, taken aback by this turn of events. "I'm just… Their opinions matter to me, and so does my reputation."

"And now that everyone doesn't think so highly of you, your control is slipping, as is your power and favor among the ranks. It's worrying you, what might become of the ship and the First Order as a result, even what might become of you, and you don't know how to fix that." Hux silently nodded, eyes cast to the side, staring at nothing.

"I wasn't aware that my personal feelings had any meaning to you," he mumbled.

"Would I be a good friend if they didn't matter to me?"

"Now I need for you to be honest," Hux began. Kylo nodded, asking for him to continue. "What do we do from here? More specifically, what do **you** do from here? The new Starkiller's plans have been started, and it should begin construction within the coming months if all goes according to plan. You, however, are no longer under direct instructions from the Supreme Leader, not entirely. What are you to do now?"

"I'm to remain here, onboard, assisting you with learning about the Force and completing whatever mission and task is required of me if need be. I'm here to be there for you should you need someone to talk to. I'm here to terrify the crew and lessen any burden you may have regarding day to day duties if I'm able to." The last comment brang a faint, barely there smile to the general's face.

"And my crystal? What am I to do with it in the meantime?"

"You're to tune it."

"Tune…?"

"Come find me after your shift's over," Kylo repeated. "I'll explain everything then and you can get whatever you need to off your mind." Hux hated when people tried to tell him what to do, but for once, he didn't really mind. He'd rather face an emotional Kylo than a bitter crew any day.

XxX

The earlier events played within Hux's mind as the shuttle landed in the outskirts of the main city, hidden well behind an abandoned neighborhood surrounded by a thick cluster of trees. If- **When** they got back to the _Finalizer_ , not only would he have some serious work to do to rebuild his reputation, but also to build some sort of self confidence in his abilities again. The ramp lowered and Kylo pulled his cowl as far over his face as he could, Hux adjusting his cap and greatcoat. Reaching out to the Force, Kylo discerned the safest route to their destination, around the area of fighting. They'd have to go through a smaller town and, for once, Hux wasn't so grateful that his uniform was so forward with showcasing his rank and loyalties.

They scurried through the city, trying to stay out of sight. Kylo could feel Hux's anxiety radiating outward in waves. "Everything's going to be fine, Hux." The general looked to him as the ducked through a few tents, full of traders and desperate looking refugees who stared as they passed.

"If your identity was fully exposed for everyone to see, especially with the Resistance here, would you feel comfortable?"

"They don't know who I really am, so no." Hux grimaced, knowing the statement wasn't entirely true.

"Way to be comforting, Kylo." The supply depot came into view, a few hundred meters ahead. "There," he gestured. "I suppose we just pick a ship and hope it's one that-"

"No. I'll know which one when we get in there." Hux didn't seem very reassured, but didn't comment. He simply followed Kylo, who inspected each shuttle briefly before letting out a frustrated huff. They took cover behind a pile of what Kylo observed as smuggled goods. "He's not here."

"Who?"

"The pilot, Dameron. His ship is here, but he's not at the depot."

"You want us to-"

"He's guaranteed to return to their base, Hux. The rest could be from anywhere. He's near, but not here yet. We need only wait for him to return and the first part of our plan-"

" **Your** plan," the ginger reminded him.

"- my plan will be complete."

"And the Jedi?"

"What about them?"

"Weren't you obsessing over them some four months ago, determined to bring them and the galaxy to their knees?" After Kylo ensured it was empty, Hux checked that the coast was clear before they crossed the depot and boarded the ship. Hux wrinkled his nose at the unorganized state of its interior, much to his companion's amusement.

"Four months is a long time, enough to change one's mind about some things," the ravenette responded, examining their new surroundings. "C'mon. There's got to be one somewhere…" he muttered to himself, feeling along the wall panels for something.

"What are you-?" He stopped when part of the wall and floor slid away to reveal a secret storage compartment, enough to fit two smaller people at least, which wasn't the case for them.

"Well, I've found out how we'll keep from getting caught. We can even see the cockpit from here." Hux began to feel slightly less on edge at Kylo's triumphant face, giving him a half smile before he picked up on footsteps headed their direction a little ways away. The smile faded immediately as he felt his ears prick up under his cap.

"Someone's coming, and only one of us is going to be able to fit in there." Strategy and tactics were his specialty, weren't they? He reasoned to himself. Though he didn't like his plan, it was their best chance at survival should they get caught or something go wrong. To aid his plan, he sent a series of images to Kylo in hopes of not having to explain as much. The dark Jedi received them, though it was evident he was lost on the idea. " *sigh* Do you have a travel cloak with you?"

"I- Yes, tucked in my robes, just incase. What… was that? You're not really…?" The discomfort was plain as day in both of them, Kylo removing his robes and Hux undressing.

"I don't like it either, *removes greatcoat and cap* but it's either that, *removes uniform top and undershirt* or we both become prisoners of war *removes boots* and bargaining chips for the Resistance. *removes pants and undergarments* Do you trust me?"

"I'd trust you a lot more if I knew this was full proof," he responded quickly, looking away. Hux scoffed.

"Don't act like a blushing virgin, Kylo. I'm sure you've seen your fair share of naked men and women. I know I'm hideous, but I can't look as bad as most others."

"No, it's not that!" His cheeks were the shade of Hux's hair and fur. "Just, hurry, before they get here." Hux, with an affirmative nod, got down on all fours and willed himself to change. At first, nothing happened, and he feared he would be caught in a most compromising position. However, his body began to morph, and he exhaled in relief, gazing up at Kylo's much taller cloaked form, a dark shirt and pants his new outfit. The knight folded the general's clothes and concealed them within his now rolled up pile of robes before quickly climbing down into their hiding spot. Hux hopped down with him, settling on his lap as Kylo replaced the panels, and waited. A minute later, Poe Dameron stepped into the ship, a satisfied smirk present on his face.

"Another job well done," he spoke. "Alright boys, let's head home and tell the general the good news." Cheery replies came through his comm as he activated the shuttle, the sound of switches flipping following. "All three dozen ships carrying rations and necessities landed. The two dozen carrying supplies all made it as well. Some of our guys stayed behind to distribute them and should report in within the hour." Kylo felt Hux scramble upwards, peering through the panel at Poe.

"What are you doing?" he whispered frantically.

' _I'm trying figure out if I can see what coordinates he's putting in. Perhaps we can see ahead of time which planet we'll be heading to.'_

"Even with those eyes, I highly doubt it." Hux turned to look at Kylo, eyes slightly narrowed.

 _'I suggest you not talk too much while we're still in here. He could overhear us, well, you. There's no need to alert him to our presence.'_

Kylo replied, ' _Fine. Once we arrive, should we wait until the coast is clear, or use force where necessary to get inside?'_

 _'It depends. If their security is heavy and there doesn't seem to be an opening to make a break for it, what do you suppose we do?'_ Kylo hadn't thought of that, the possibility that the Resistance was organized enough to have a well defended base with few to no weak spots. Killing anyone would not help his case of just coming to talk and neither would sneaking around only to get caught by a patrol or officer.

 _'I'll think of something,'_ he told him. Hux put a paw over his face.

 _'Of course you will,'_ he projected exasperatedly. Silence fell between them for some time, enough for them to get a little bit of sleep and wake several hours later. It wasn't until Hux felt a slight shift in the Force that he broke the silence. ' _Why are you probing his mind?'_

"I'm not probing, I'm skimming through it. Hmmph. It seems he and FN-2187 are more than just friends," he whispered bitterly. "He hasn't stopped thinking about him since we've gone into hyperspace."

 _'That rogue stormtrooper?'_

"Yes, and he worries for their general… and the girl," he ended in a low growl. "Apparently, Rey's been a bit distant, quiet, withdrawn from everyone but Skywalker. The general… isn't faring well emotionally…" he trailed off, trying to deny the hurt seeping into his heart.

' _I know it's personal between you three, but remember why we're doing this, why I'm risking my neck with you. You wanted to speak with General Organa. Don't ruin your chance because of some silly plot for revenge.'_

 _'I know.'_ He felt the shuttle shake slightly and still as it landed. Poe stood up from his seat, gathering a few of his belongings sat next to him in the co-pilot's chair. Lowering the ramp, he was about to leave before he paused, and turned in their general direction. He slowly made his way towards them.

 _'Kriff! Any plans to deal with this, Kylo?'_ Hux questioned in an irked manner.

 _'Why are you angry at me?'_

 _'I'm not. I just don't like having to constantly improvise when we could've had something planned from the start.'_

 _'Well, we couldn't have. Just… I have an idea. Go with it, will you?'_

 _'What idea?'_ Before Kylo could project a response, Poe pulled away the panel, shocked to say the least. Kylo put on a frightened face, Hux staring at him as if he'd gone mad.

"I thought I heard something back here. How long have you been in there?" Kylo looked away when Poe squatted down and tried to meet his eyes, utilizing what his younger self would've done.

"Forgive me, sir. Had I known the shuttle was leaving, I would never have got on, I swear! I-I just…"

"Hey now. Slow down there. You're not in trouble. Can you tell me how you got here, what happened?" Poe had a look of genuine concern and warmth on his face.

"I- There were… First Order troops. They… They were chasing me because I had tried delivering aid before today. I was on the run from them for days. They took my ship and seized my supplies… When… When I heard that, that there were Resistance troops fighting back and delivering shuttles of supplies, I tried to… to… I just needed somewhere safe to lay low until I knew I was safe. I hid in the nearest ship. I had no idea you weren't staying, honest!" Kylo shrank in on himself, shielding his face with the hood of his cloak, shuddering.

"So, you're a supporter then?" Kylo gave a shaky nod. "Hey, buddy, look at me." Kylo peeked from within the cloak. "You're alright. I'll get you inside and maybe we can talk to the general, see if there's anything we can do to help you." The ravenette gave a shaky laugh.

"I doubt anyone as important as her would take the time to deal with me personally, over an old ship and some bacta supplies in all honesty," he chuckled nervously. Poe clapped him on the shoulder.

"I'm sure there's something she can do for you. She's got one of the biggest hearts in the galaxy."

"I'll bet." Poe turned his attention to Hux, intrigued.

"And who's this?" He reached out a hand to Hux, who took a step towards Kylo in return, baring his fangs with a snarl. Kylo gently stroked him behind the ears, to which Hux glared at him but appreciated the attention the same, nuzzling his hand with his snout in return.

"Try to be nice," Kylo warned. "This is my faithful partner… Brendol." Hux hissed at Kylo internally.

' _You'll regret that later_.'

' _It was the first thing that came to mind. Bear with me here.'_

"He doesn't like new faces, huh?" Poe asked.

"He's protective of me is all, and himself. He can't help it." Kylo picked up their folded bundle of clothes from beside him with a forced half smile. "Shall we?"

"Of course." Kylo fell behind Poe as they exited the shuttle and entered the base (D'Qar if he remembered right, judging by the scenery), Hux trotting alongside them. Hood pulled low, he tried not to attract too much attention, but, of course, plenty of stares followed. Poe nodded to passing officers as he led them down hallway after hallway, finally stopping outside of the main war council room. He keyed in a code and it slid open, revealing a few on duty officers attending to their tasks and Leia sat by the holo projection table. She looked up and smiled hopefully at the pilot, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. They stood across from her.

"Poe. I take it the mission was a success?"

"Yes ma'am. In fact, I picked up an ally who tried to stand up to the First Order and aid our cause. They confiscated his things and his ship." She looked to Kylo, who refused to meet her gaze.

"I appreciate what you tried to do. You're braver than most citizens out there."

"I'll take my leave then," Poe said, leaving the three to their conversation.

"Is there something further we need to discuss? We can replace any supplies they took and outfit you with a ship." Kylo looked to Hux, who inclined his head in a gesture to go ahead.

"Actually, there is something, but I'd prefer if we were to discuss it alone. It's highly classified."

"Is it now? Regarding what, exactly?" He couldn't blame her for being overly cautious.

"The First Order and some of its higher ranking officers." That got her attention.

"Can we have the room?" she spoke up. Immediately, the rest of the officers filed out of the room, leaving just the three of them. "I didn't know there were foxes outside of Alderaan and Naboo," she commented, looking at Hux with admiration.

"Yes, he's one of a kind," Kylo responded fondly. Hux playfully nipped his hand for the comment, making the other two smile.

"What can you tell me?" she asked, steering them back on topic.

"I know of two commanders willing to negotiate with you. They want to talk on peaceful terms to work out, perhaps, a ceasefire." As he said this, he unfolded Hux's clothes from his own and set them aside in a pile should Hux decide to change back. There would be plenty of opportunities to do so if all went according to plan.

' _A ceasefire? What in the galaxy is going through your thick skull, Kylo?!'_ Hux demanded to know.

' _Trust me when I say you'll thank me later.'_

"Oh, I very much doubt that," Leia answered. "And I never got a name from you. There's no need to hide behind that cloak, you know. The only person here who'll see your face here is me."

" *nervous laugh* I know. Actually, I can get the two commanders to start the negotiations now if need be."

"And how would you do that?" He watched Hux slink off out of the corner of his eye. "I don't know if anyone told you, but I prefer to do things face to face as opposed to through a holo projection."

"I know, which is why this **will** be face to face. You see, they're already here." He glanced at Hux, who was about halfway dressed. "In this room." Leia gave him a disbelieving look.

"Unless you're saying that you and your fox are part of the First Order-"

"It's more complicated than that, at least for me. You see, my companion, he's also a general, like yourself."

"And you?" she asked, slowly walking around the table towards him. He took a deep breath before pulling back the hood and revealing his face. He took another breath before he met her eyes, which were too full of emotion to properly analyze. Her hands rose hesitantly to hold his face. She took in every minor detail, from his distinct features to each mole. She traced the long, jagged scar and smoothed back his hair gently. Hux observed from a few feet away, pulling on his other boot. She didn't know what to do at this moment, except focus her attention on the man in front of her. She let out a shaky breath, hardly believing her eyes. "Is it really you…?"

"I'm your son," he whispered sincerely. She chuckled tearfully before throwing her arms around him and hanging onto him for dear life. Kylo clung to her as well, burying his head in her hair, heart racing, Force flowing through him heavily favoring the Light. He pressed a kiss into her hair. "Mom."

"Ben," she murmured as they broke apart. "You're here."

"Yes, and as much as I know you want me to stay, all I can offer you is a promise that my and Hux's crew will be no threat to yours."

"Hux?" she inquired. She turned to find the ginger walking up to Kylo's side, cap clutched in his hand, face neutral yet polite.

"General Organa," he addressed her. She looked between the two of them warily, a silent How? echoing in her head. She'd learned not to question her son when strange things happened though.

"You can't be serious. With you, I can believe that, but with **him**? He destroyed an entire Republic system, killed countless innocents, tried to target this base at one point with everyone on it-"

"And since then, things have drastically changed. Supreme- Snoke- has my complete trust. He's completed my training. Now that he's gotten almost all he's really wanted from me, and I from him, he no longer has a purpose. He's ruined my life, everyone's life, enough, and I won't stand for it any longer. He won't see it coming until it's too late," Kylo growled.

"We plan to overthrow Snoke using the full force of our First Order resources. We simply want to ensure that, when the time comes for us to act on our plan, you will not interfere," Hux summarized. "We cannot reveal it in full yet, but perhaps as the preparation time draws to a close, we can." Leia contemplated this, turning to her son. He gave her a reassuring look.

"Say I'm okay with any of this," she began carefully. "What would you have me do?" Kylo let out a relieved breath.

"We'll still need a few months before our plan's fully set in motion. I'll contact you then for our ceasefire to take effect. Both sides will take many less casualties than if we had been actively fighting, especially where this is concerned." She observed them closely.

"And if I refused?"

"Then we can pretend this meeting never happened and you can watch your men die needlessly in a battle that doesn't have to take place," Hux answered. "I do not wish to see my good men and women fall without reason. Surely you understand how it feels to read the casualty reports; I don't know what's worse, seeing names you do recognize, or seeing ones you don't because you didn't get the opportunity to meet them." The knight squeezed Hux's shoulder briefly in comfort.

"I do understand that… Can you assure me that the galaxy won't fall apart once my men stand down?"

"Only if you trust me when I contact you, no matter the circumstances."

"Of course I will."

"Then we're all in agreement?" Hux asked. They nodded in response.

"Is it strange, not being able to sign a treaty or paper for this kind of thing?" Kylo asked his mother. She shook her head.

"It wouldn't have been the first time. Now, how are you two going to leave here?" Hux smirked evilly, irately.

"Yes, Kylo, how **are** we going to get back to the _Finalizer_? We snuck on a ship to get here. I don't suppose we could steal a ship to leave?"

"Why not leave with Poe the same way you came?" she asked.

"His closest allies aren't my biggest admirers. No doubt he's already told them all about us and now they're on their way to kill us." She sighed and shook her head.

"Take the shuttle you came in. No one'll miss a supply shuttle. We'll be back on Lothal to pick it up later."

"And as for how we're going to get out of **here**?"

"I've been here before, in my younger days. I know the way out the back. We'll be fine." The dark Jedi turned to the tired general, embracing her once more. "Mom…"

"Take care of yourself, Ben." Memorizing the look in her loving, warm brown eyes, he reluctantly left the room with Hux in tow. She took her seat at the table again, pondering either just how stupid or just how beneficial her latest decision might've been. Hux and Kylo, through sheer miracle, made it out of the building without encountering another face. And if Poe Dameron came to ask the general about the missing shuttle he'd arrived in and their two guests? She shook her head, explaining that she'd gifted the two one of their spare ships to replace the one taken from them. And if Phasma asked (persistently demanded) what happened on Lothal? Kylo showed her the shuttle and Hux made up a story about a massacre by their 'troopers. It was a wonder how anyone believed them.

Closing A/N: So… that was complete and utter crap. Uh… yeah. Feel free to ask what the heck they're negotiating about or what for if you don't understand in the slightest. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't. I just didn't want to give away the rest of the plot by trying to explain everything. 


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine: Restoring Glory (Part 1)

A/N: Apologies in advance if I make this extremely Hux-centric, which it will be. Basically, Hux has snapped somewhere and his role and Kylo's are reversed; Hux is the short tempered, easily antagonized one while Kylo has to force himself to be reasonable and deal with it.

***Also, I may or may not add another chapter before this later, Resistance characters only, of course, to further explain some plot details, so this may become chapter 10 in the future. Depends.

"Hux, this has to stop!" Kylo cried for what felt like the hundredth time today, cowl hiding his face in place of his mask. "That'll be the third mission you've forced your way into in the last two days!" The general, in his combat armor, guns galore, pointedly ignored him, marching towards his shuttle with a determined glare settled over his features. "Hux!" Kylo, who knew yelling was futile, seeing as how he'd been doing it since he followed Hux off the bridge, stuck his arm out, effectively holding Hux in place midstep. Outraged, the ginger snarled, whipping his head around.

"How dare you! Take your orders and your Force powers and shove them-" His eyes widened in fury as his voice was cut off by the Force as well. Kylo returned the death glare shot his way.

"Just stop, for one moment, please!" His voice had dropped to a somewhat normal volume. He was starting to attract a crowd, the hangar bay starting to fill up as the fight continued. "Why do you keep throwing yourself into danger like this? There's no reason to. You say it yourself everyday that you have the most capable, trustworthy crew and 'troopers in the galaxy. You praise them to the stars every chance you get. What is this newfound attitude of yours?" Hux, with some effort, broke Kylo's Force hold over him, stumbling forward as he did, but catching himself and whirling around.

"I have no need to explain or justify my actions as of late. Now is not the time for this discussion," Hux hissed. "If you wish to take up this matter, you can do so without causing a scene in front of my crew." As he said that, everyone went back to what they were doing, getting the hint. Kylo jogged to his side as Hux continued towards his shuttle. "What in the galaxy do you want, Kylo?" he snapped to the knight, whose temporary patience evaporated on the spot.

"Just what are you trying to do here? Why do you feel like you have something to prove to those people-"

"Because I **do** have something to prove to them! I hear it in their thoughts, see it in their expressions and body language. They've lost faith in me as a leader, and I intend to rectify that." He stopped walking, shoulders tense and hands fisted at his side.

"By getting yourself killed on a mission that our 'troopers could better handle?" Kylo retorted. "They're fools if they think they'll find a better candidate as General and leader of the ship. They saw Starkiller as a setback, and they're bitter towards you because we were sure to win the fight. You cracking under pressure will not help your situation, neither will getting injured or killed." He didn't know when his hand came to rest on Hux's shoulder, but it was there. Hux seemed to just notice, glancing at it before turning to Kylo.

"When did you suddenly become the voice of reason in all this?" Hux asked, perplexed and almost amused at the reversal of roles at the moment.

"It seems we're rubbing off on each other, aren't we?" Hux chuckled at that, mood beginning to lift.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing."

"No, it isn't. *glances at shuttle* Shall I accompany you?" The general sighed as they entered the shuttle, the stormtroopers inside visibly tensing at the unstable atmosphere their two commanders brought with them.

"There's no use saying no, is there?" he responded. He settled down in between two 'troopers, who respectfully nodded to the general as he put his helmet on. Phasma looked between the two, a look that read "Hopeless." etched on her face. The shuttle took off, leaving the ship and heading for the surface of some backwater planet in a system no one cared to remember. As it touched down, Kylo saw Hux tighten his grip on his blaster. Kylo unclipped his saber from his belt, keeping a firm grip on it as the ramp lowered and they all filed out.

As the the group went on ahead to provide their current troops with backup, Kylo asked, "Why did you insist you **had** to come on this mission. There's nothing special about this planet."

"This planet is at the center of a neutral system on good terms with the First Order. The leader of this planet and the system's government… is my brother Percival." Kylo made a surprised sound, giving Hux an apologetic look. "If any harm has befallen him while the _Finalizer_ has been in orbit… I will never forgive myself." Hux was thankful Kylo couldn't see his face, see how much his family affected him. Unfortunately, Kylo could easily hear his projected thoughts.

"Feelings are not a weakness, Hux, and neither are people you care about. They're some of your greatest strengths. Don't ignore them, embrace them," Kylo insisted. Hux chose not to reply as their troops dispersed to combat the firefight ahead of them, coming in from the side. A town hall building of sorts was surrounded by Resistance troops, who were practically forming a mini blockade around the structure. More of their troops flanked the stormtroopers, trapping them in combat on two fronts. Windows had been shattered and the exterior was riddled with bullet holes and chipped stone. They vastly outnumbered the 'troopers, even with backup, and Kylo ignited his crossguard with a roar. He and Hux quickly took to the battlefield, cutting and shooting down a majority of one side of the front group. Phasma and the now rallied stormtroopers fired with renewed vigor against the Resistance as a path was finally cleared to the inside. Hux hurried through the door, Kylo right behind him, ducking and dodging fire. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Of course I do." He sprinted up the stairs, almost toppling backwards as he leaned away from stray blaster fire flying through a window to his left. Kylo held a steadying hand to his back until it was safe to continue. After traversing another flight of steps, they came to a halt before a wooden door left slightly ajar. They could hear arguing inside.

"For the last time, this is a **neutral** system. We are not a part of the First Order. We are simply on friendly terms. We don't play a part in this war nor do we have any intention of doing so now. I suggest you take your men and leave. If I know their general, and trust me when I say I do, you'll be very sorry if you don't." The accent sounded of similar origin as Hux's voice.

"I can't leave with that fight going on outside, nor without your guarantee that you're not working with-"

"For the last time! Are you deaf, officer? I, nor anyone in this system, is a part of the First Order!"

"I'm under orders, sir. Can you prove that?" Hux could sense the two men talking, one being his brother and the other being Resistance. He only wished to know how many others he'd have to go through once he walked into the room.

"There are four others in the room: two by your brother, one on each side of the room," the ravenette answered him, saber humming lowly. "Now?"

"Wait." Hux looked through the narrow opening in the doorway cautiously. He observed two officer with their blasters to Percival's back. The Resistance officer stood across from his brother in front of his neat, orderly desk, a large window behind it..

"And what proof would that be? And will you knock it off?!" he yelled to the two behind him, whose guns were jammed into his lower back. "Would you like me to contact them so you can have a little chat?"

"You said you knew their general, yet you're not in league with them? Forgive me for being careful and not believing you. With our intelligence, we believed the First Order would've stormed here once they got word of us on planet. That is what the extra guard is for," he said, gesturing to his men. "We mean you no harm. We just wish for the truth."

"Bloody Hell!" he exclaimed, drawing a blaster out of nowhere and pointing it at the officer. "Will you just give it a rest and get off my planet?!"

"Now!" Hux shouted as he and Kylo burst through the door. Percival and the leading officer startled as they observed Kylo halting four blaster bolts in midair. Everyone froze, the officer staring at the First Order insignia clearly displayed on his helmet and armor.

"Well, isn't this something. Kylo Ren and a stormtrooper coming to your rescue-"

"I'm no stormtrooper," Hux snarled, taking off his helmet and letting it drop at his feet, blaster pointed at the officer. "Now **_back away from him_**." Kylo directed the frozen bolts out the window, swinging his saber absentmindedly in his hand, narrowly missing the two.

"William," the other redhead uttered, surprised, confusing Kylo for a moment. He ducked under his desk as everyone opened fire on Hux and Kylo. The dark Jedi, easily deflecting the shots, tried to shield Hux, who fired at them, as best he could. It wasn't until the officer dragged the government leader to his feet with a blaster to his head that Hux lost his temper. With a scream, he thrust a hand out, first throwing the blaster out the window before flinging the officer across the room, head colliding painfully with the wall, unconscious before he hit the floor. Kylo cut down the last of the officers, breathing slightly irregular as his saber deactivated, looking over Hux for injuries. A stunned silence followed as the bodies dropped. Hux lowered his blaster and looked to his younger brother, insisting to Kylo that he was perfectly fine.

"Percy," he replied in relief and worry. "Did they hurt you?" The other ginger shook his head.

"Some of my executives are receiving medical attention across the city, and I'm sure I'll have a bruise on my back from those blasters, but other than that, I'm alright. *looks to Kylo* Lord Ren, I presume?"

"Yes," Kylo replied shortly. "The Resistance has tried to gain your support then?"

"Every week for the last month I've gotten a holo call from one of them. They finally insisted on meeting with me after they found out one of my last names was Hux." The general started at that.

"One of your- You… took my last name?" he asked, secretly touched by the revelation.

"We all did. Even though we never got to see you much in person, we all kept a part of you with us. Even though your dad took you from us, mum never stopped talking about you. Remember the day when she took all six of us to see you, that day it didn't rain?" Hux smiled at the memory, the day he got to know all of his half siblings, when he was in his early twenties if he guessed correctly.

"Like it was yesterday," he replied. His usual expression returned to his face as he assessed their current situation. "The fighting's died down," he observed.

"Phasma and a few squadrons are still down there. The rest of the injured Resistance troops are retreating from the area. It should be safe to go back down." The two brothers' eyes met and Hux was overcome with the urge to embrace him. ' _Go on_ ,' Kylo projected to him. Awkwardly, Hux maneuvered around the ruined desk and wrapped his arms around his brother. After a moment, he melted into it, squeezing just a little harder than he should.

"Be safe, General."

"And you." Backing away, he and Kylo descended the stairs to rejoin their troops, Hux absorbed in his own thoughts as they headed back to the shuttle.

XxX

"So, is your first name Armitage or William?"

"William is the name my mother gave me, tried to give me, before my father got custody of me. Only her side of the family refers to me as such and I'd like to keep it that way." Hux spoke hurriedly, entering his 'fresher to take off his armor and don his uniform. Kylo could hear mumbling from within for a few minutes. "Now that we've both settled some family matters," Hux began, emerging from his 'fresher in his uniform, "We need to worry about the commanders' meeting in three days-" He was cut off by Kylo's frustrated groaning. Hux huffed at his childishness.

"Can't we just do what we did last time? Greet them, have small talk, and leave?"

"We have to discuss Starkiller II and our progress regarding our stormtrooper legion as well as our allied systems. Then there's resources, the state of our cruisers…" He trailed off, picking up a stack of blueprints and diagrams along with his datapad. "I have a meeting about Starkiller's successor in fifteen minutes, and I'll be caught up in meetings and paperwork for the next two days. All I ask is that you try to be civil with them when the time comes and actually arrive on time." He flipped through a few messages quickly and adjusted his schedule accordingly. He then contacted a few crew members via commlink about several matters Kylo had no reason to be concerned about. Observing Hux, he realized the man hadn't stopped talking, whether to others or himself, since they'd gotten back. "-and if I finish that report during lunch, I can-"

"Hux," Kylo interrupted, slightly louder than necessary. "Breathe." The general paused before collapsing into his desk chair. He felt his head fall forward into his hand, elbow resting on the desk. He gave a soft laugh.

"I- Hahaha… I've lost it, haven't I? Ever since we returned from our meeting with General Organa, and then our trip to see Percival, I've just been…" He sighed, closing his eyes, trying to calm himself down. The stress that had been building for the last few months because of the crew, his frustrations with the Force, recent events… He didn't know how much more he could take before he had a total mental breakdown. He reached out to Kylo, sharing his feelings, to which the knight winced with a look of sympathy. "Do you know how it feels to be so overwhelmed by so many different things? Months of stress, anger, disappointment, all result in this. I'd say I've dealt with worse, but I don't think I have." Kylo let out a breath, projecting to Hux as much calm, silence, and levelheadedness as he could given that those things weren't his forte. Hux let out a breath and let those feelings wash over him for a moment, feeling his impending headache lessen. "Thank you, Kylo." He got up from his chair and reached for his boots. "And, if it's not too much to ask, would you be willing to…" He let the question hang in the air. He knew how much Kylo hated meetings, but given how the knight was one of two people on the ship who could possibly ground him at times like this, he couldn't help but ask.

"If I choke someone—"

"Then they probably deserve it. That is how far gone I am at this point." Kylo eyed him warily.

"Are you sure we didn't body or mind swap at one point this week?"

"I've reached my breaking point stress wise. Imagine constantly feeling on the edge of one of your destructive tantrums for days on end. That is similar to how I feel right now."

"And you have two full days of meetings? The _Finalizer_ has proven that it can operate perfectly fine without you for two **months**. Two days wouldn't hurt-" Kylo began to suggest.

"No. I'm General and a commander of this ship. I can't afford to-"

"Yes, you **can**." Hux headed towards the door. "If not the next two days, then at least one," Kylo persuaded. "You can't attend that commanders' meeting absolutely exhausted, and I know your ego won't let you miss out on it." Hux stopped after opening the door, beckoning for Kylo to follow.

"Ask me again tomorrow." was Hux's response.

XxX

"… keep the thermal oscillator well defended from external attacks. And with the improvements to…" Kylo heard bits and pieces of Hux's explanations, which the crew was genuinely interested in, but his main focus was the atmosphere of the room. Hux was in his element, and he seemed to be enjoying this meeting, though, Kylo supposed, he too would enjoy rubbing in his engineering prowess over his subordinates as well. "… the weapon will charge a full 20% faster than before. Any questions?" Kylo zeroed in on an officer at the far end of the conference table, whose thoughts lingered on…

"Officer Shaw," he spoke, grabbing everyone's attention. "You have something to say?" The officer in question pulled at the collar of their uniform, looking at a speck on the table with interest.

"Um… Just that I, uh, agree with, approve of, all the changes the general has presented thus far. I was only wondering *clears throat* what **you** thought about all this, um, Lord Ren," he finished nervously.

"I see no problems with everything the general has explained thus far. However, I believe adjustments to the base's security and shield systems would prevent a repeat of the first Starkiller."

"What sort of adjustments?" Hux questioned, enticing Kylo to explain further. The knight seemed rather taken aback. It wasn't often that anyone ever asked his opinion of anything, and if they did, it wasn't about anything as important as this.

Quickly recovering, he answered, "Perhaps if the shield controls were off base, like the original Death Star; they could be accessed on the _Finalizer_. As for security, you could implement a more rigid way to enter and exit the base. Like a-"

"Security check-in," Hux finished for him.

"Exactly, and maybe one or both can require a specific person's override code or key, such as yours or mine to change anything…" He trailed off nervously, one thought going through his head: you sound like an idiot. He genuinely felt like he was the dumbest person in the room after everything he'd just said. The whole room sat in silence, and he didn't know whether that was a good or bad sign. Nonetheless, he leaned away from the table as much as he could in his chair, resisting the urge to stand and try to blend in with the wall. After a few more minutes, the meeting, a good three hours long, was over, and Kylo waited for everyone to file out before turning to Hux. "I'm sorry," he immediately said, to which Hux replied with a lost look.

"Sorry? Why? You actually brought up good suggestions, and, at any rate, you contributed more than most everyone who attended."

"It's just… I've never been good at this sort of thing, and every time I bring up an idea, I sound like the dumbest-"

"You were fine, Kylo, better than fine," he reassured, a faint smile present on his face.

"Are you going to the bridge?"

"I don't know. I'm debating whether or not to just head back to my quarters or finish my shift there."

"Or…" Kylo began. Hux raised an eyebrow at him.

"Or?"

"Or… We could test your new saber. You told me that building it was a great distraction from everything happening aboard the ship. Perhaps practicing with it will have the same effect."

"In this state? I'd probably end up taking my arm off if I tried anything."

"You'd be surprised what you can accomplish if you-"

"Using the Force isn't even on my list of priorities at the moment. On that list, however, is dinner, a shower, and sleep."

"Then how about meditation? Surely that will calm your mind, if at least for a moment." The ginger considered it.

"Dinner and a shower first."

XxX

After a quick shower and light meal, the two set aside their plates for a cleaning droid. Both were dressed in comfortable sleep clothes, settled opposite each other on Hux's bed, legs crossed, knees barely touching. "The first thing you'll want to do is get comfortable, like we are now. Then, close your eyes… and empty your mind."

"Sounds simple enough," Hux replied.

"You say that now," Kylo mumbled. Both of them closed their eyes and Kylo settled into his usual meditative patterns while monitoring Hux's Force signature. His mind settled upon an empty room, stripped of color and furnishings, completely bare and silent. ' _Imagining an empty room isn't enough. You must empty_ ** _everything_** _from your mind: thoughts, emotions, images, your surroundings…_ ' Hux blew out a breath and tried again, but the slightest sounds his enhanced hearing picked up kept disrupting his focus. Footsteps down the hall, whispers a floor down, the background noises of the ship that he thought he'd become accustomed to. Then, there was the slightly cold air, the slight roughness of his sheets, the lights that felt too bright. He growled audibly, eyes snapping open. He usually had the patience for these kind of tasks. However, given the circumstances and the fact that it had something to do with the Force, he didn't know if he was up for it. He raked a hand through his hair and resisted the urge to scream at himself. "Frustration will only make things more difficult." Hux wanted to punch that passive look right off his face. Kylo seemed right at home in his position, no sign of discomfort or strain in his body language or expression.

"How can someone as restless and all over the place as you tolerate doing this when you're in a mood?"

"Years of practice, though I've known some people where meditating comes naturally to them. It may just take time for you. If I truly can't focus, I try to find my Force signature and then branch out to the rest of the Force a little at a time. Let it guide you and eliminate all your worries. Think of it as a river. Let the current sweep you under; don't fight it just because it's going the opposite way you want to."

"Do you hear yourself when you talk like that? I know the words hold some truth to them, but it sounds…" Kylo gave him a look.

"I know, but you did agree to try and train. Meditation is important for a Force user no matter what they use their abilities for. Now, try again." Hux watched Kylo close his eyes again, and, begrudgingly, he did the same. Taking Kylo's advice, he sought out his Force signature, relieved at its familiarity. He let the feeling wash over him before expanding his focus, feeling the Force flow in even waves around him. It made his hair stand on end and his heart race, to feel this entity that many people before him utilized and others told stories of. It didn't feel uncontrollable or unstable, like it would lash out at something. He explored a bit, walking around, so to speak, in this blank world of energy and peace. It was as if time had no meaning here, and it excited him that he needn't worry about his schedule while he was here.

All the while, Kylo observed halfheartedly from a distance. He pondered his recent meeting with his mother and his vision. The ceasefire would take place, but, somehow, Rey and her little group would find a way onto Starkiller II anyway. Whatever she had planned wouldn't succeed, thankfully, but neither would their plans. He recalled the meeting with Snoke that would see their end, but something was bothering him. Even without reaching out to Hux, they had some sort of, dare he say, connection in the vision. The conclusion he came to didn't make sense, nor did its suggestions of what was to come between himself and Hux. Their interactions were friendly and rocky at times at best, but… Was it possible to make that work between them? He didn't know what it felt like, to be that close to a person. Even being friends with someone still didn't feel normal to him. He brushed the thoughts aside before they could consume his conscience, opting instead to refocus on Hux, gently probing his mind.

The ginger felt a slight change in his surroundings, confusion and a barely there pang of uncertainty. It was only when he branched out more that he felt another presence. Chaotic, unchecked, like a raging wildfire, but at peace at its center. It was… not necessarily contained, but restrained from flowing too freely. He reached for it, curious. When he made contact, he felt a wave of surprise emanate from it and quickly drew back. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the center of that wildfire was Kylo. The ravenette's person remained unharmed, even as light and dark flames licked at his skin, flared out in random bursts. His own person felt more like a cloak, his own little personal bubble so to speak, kept reigned in and in control. It's red form enveloped him in a flickering fox shape.

" ** _Kylo?_** " he asked. The younger man's eyes rose to meet his. He seemed shocked to see Hux standing across from him, noticing him for the first time.

" ** _Hux? How did you find me?_** " His voice had a slight echo to it, and the surprise was evident in his question. Hux seemed equally at a loss.

" ** _I don't know. It wasn't on purpose._** "

" ** _On purpose or not, this is… Not everyone can concentrate enough to sense or seek out others, especially when they're so new at this. I hardly made my presence known and yet you found me._** "

" ** _I'm a fast learner_** ," he replied. " **_It wasn't my intent, I assure you. Something just felt… different about this place._** "

" ** _This place,_** " Kylo stressed, " **_Is your subconscious mind."_** He strolled around Hux's mental barrier. " **_The possibilities are nearly endless with what you can do here._** " Hux's vision went hazy as he felt Kylo project images to him, almost like a holovid. He saw himself in casual wear, hand thrust forward, a look of strain on his face. He was in the medbay, and there was pressure in the air in between him and this other person, whose hand was out in turn. The pressure subsided, and he saw himself shaking out his hand in pain, surprise and disbelief flooding his senses. Thoughts of, "How did I not sense it?" and, "When?" filled his head. He recognized it as the night of Starkiller's destruction, when he went to check on Kylo in the medbay, the night his Force sensitivity had been revealed to him and Phasma. He vaguely recognized that it was from Kylo's point of view before his vision returned.

" ** _A memory,_** " Hux realized. " **_And everything that would come with it._** "

" ** _Exactly. Think of the possibilities if you just put your mind to them. These things could apply to so much more if you were willing to trust me with your training._** "

" ** _I do trust you. Kylo…_** " He never finished his sentence as both reached for the other's signature at the same time. When they met, there was an explosion of senses and emotions. Then, darkness.

XxX

When Kylo awoke, he was met with the sight of a bedpost and the cold, hard floor. He winced as he felt a headache coming on. He remembered meditating and making contact with Hux. They had conversed and then… He was drawing a blank. The only thing that came to mind was an intense, overwhelming explosion. Lifting his head from his arms and slowly clambering to his feet, he saw Hux, passed out on his bed, slowly coming to, in his half fox form. The general let out a fox whine, clawed hand coming to rest on his forehead, dark rimmed eyes squeezed shut. When they finally opened, he seemed dazed, looking around until he found Kylo.

"Are you alright?" Kylo asked, voice quiet.

In a rough voice, he responded, "What happened?" He sat on the edge of the bed, head pounding. "I feel concussed."

" *chuckle* After something like that, I wouldn't be surprised. What do you remember?"

"I— We were meditating and I found you lurking in my head. We were talking and you… showed me one of your memories. After that…" He paused, eyebrows furrowed. "We reached out to each other."

"We… oh." Closing his eyes, Kylo reached out with the Force. He felt everyone on the _Finalizer_ as he usually would, but something… There was something else, a presence in the back of his mind. Tentatively reaching for it, he gasped in shock as Hux drew in a breath. The general looked to him.

"Did you just…? What did you just do?" Kylo couldn't look at him. This, they, it… What would the Supreme Leader say if he knew? How would he explain this to his master?

"No. This— This can't happen. This shouldn't-" He tried to slow his breathing as he felt panic begin to rise in him. Hux felt the emotion swell almost immediately.

"Kylo, what is it?" Before the knight could respond, an all too familiar voice echoed within his mind. It's owner was unmistakable.

' _Come to the holochamber with General Hux, Kylo. We have much to discuss. Do not keep me waiting.'_ Kylo and Hux exchanged horrified looks, both thinking the same thing as they dressed in their respective quarters.

A/N: *makes many frustrated sounds* I have where I want to go and the ending (far away, I assure you) down almost completely… Aaaaaaaaand then I write down stuff like this. I feel like I'm straying off topic and that I'm all over the place trying to fit so many things in. If you agree, feel free to say so. If you disagree, also feel free to say so. I'm just… *screams at self to get it together*


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten: The Other Side

A/N: This was originally going to be chapter nine, but I finished last chapter first. So, steering a little away from our main characters here until next chapter. Starts a few hours after chapter eight on Lothal. Also, still a lazy grammar nazi, so apologies for any spelling and/or grammar errors.

It was almost sundown by the time the last supply shuttle took off. Luke sat on a metal crate, pondering the last few days' events. He hadn't expected to have to introduce Rey to this aspect of war this soon. He thought he'd have more time to… was break her into this sort of thing the correct phrasing? He thought he'd have more than four months to train her, but she'd done surprisingly well for her first official battle as a part of the Resistance. Her temper and patience could use a bit of work, but other than that, she was a fine student.

"That's the last one," Rey piped up after the shuttle took off. "All the supplies have been distributed and most of the refugees will have something to eat tonight." She allowed a small smile to rise on her face before turning to Luke, who looked up finally. "Are we staying the night? Poe already left after all the shuttles arrived." Before he could speak, he felt… It wasn't a disturbance. Rather, it was a shift. For a few moments, the Light Side of the Force was overpowering, the Dark fading into the background. At its center, bright despite her limited sensitivity, like always, was Leia. She wasn't alone, however; another Force user was with her.

"No," he responded, getting to his feet. His sister was in no immediate danger and she could handle herself quite well in a given situation, but he would rather be there, for his peace of mind at least. "We're heading back. With the Stormtroopers long gone and First Order forces in retreat, we have no reason to remain here. Let the people here have a night to themselves." Rey nodded, heading for their shuttle, a cloak around her shoulders to protect against the chilly evening wind. Luke followed. The ride back was fairly silent, Luke meditating and Rey sitting in the pilot's seat, monitoring the ship's course. When the base came into view, the shuttle touched down smoothly and the two disembarked, heading inside.

"Will we be reporting to the general directly?"

"I will. You're free to enjoy the rest of the evening," he told her. "I'm sure you'll want to see that friend of yours again." With a knowing smile, he walked away, heading for the mission briefing room. Leia looked up when she heard him approaching, footsteps reverberating around the room.

"Luke," she said, happily surprised. "What are you-" She let out a grunt as he engulfed her in a tight embrace. She melted into it, though she swore she could feel worry and overwhelming relief coming off him in waves. "What the matter?" she asked as he pulled away.

"I… In the Force, I felt a sort of… shift in it, around you, back on Lothal. You were at its center, but you weren't alone. Did someone… visit… while I was gone?" She met his eyes, full of passionate fire and… something he couldn't quite decipher before looking away and walking around the briefing table.

"A Resistance supporter who stowed away on Poe Dameron's shuttle. He was hiding from stormtroopers after they caught him offering aid and support to Lothal's refugees. They also provided me with First Order intel." She avoided looking at her brother, afraid he'd be able to see right through her halfway true story.

"What was their name?"

"They wouldn't say." Luke was uneasy about that.

"What did they look like?" Again, Leia gave him a very worrying answer.

"They wouldn't lower the hood."

"Leia-"

"We can trust them. I don't know how I know, but I do and we can."

"I don't think we can. I felt another Force user with you earlier, back on Lothal. Even if they weren't an enemy, they had a very strong presence here. Just what-"

"There are four Force users in the galaxy we know about: you, Rey, Ben, and Snoke. You and Rey were off planet, Ben was off who knows where in the galaxy with First Order troops most likely, and Snoke wouldn't come within one thousand parsecs of this place. You worry too much. Whatever you felt couldn't have been here. You know how limited I am with the Force. Besides, the two of them were only here for a few minutes at most, and they couldn't have done anything with Poe and myself always in their sights." Leia bit her lip when she realized her slip up.

Luke raised an eyebrow, questioning, " **Two** of them?"

"The person had a red fox with them. Adorable thing. I thought the only ones left were on Naboo." She tried to play it off as odd wording, and for the most part, it worked.

"And what information did they give you?"

"There are First Order officers willing to negotiate a ceasefire regarding certain parts of the galaxy. They said that we'd be contacted in a few months time."

"And you believed them?"

"Of course not!" she scoffed, though her eyes seemed unsure, Luke noticed. "I still feel that we should keep an eye and an ear out though, just in case something does come up." Luke nodded, but he could tell she definitely wasn't telling him everything. He wouldn't pry though. If she didn't want to tell him, that was fine. Things would reveal themselves soon enough; they always did.

XxX

Finn. When was the last time she'd talked to him properly? She'd seen him when she returned with Luke, but they could only exchange a few words before she had to leave again. She wondered what he could be doing now that he was healed. Her mind wandered to the kiss she'd laid upon his head before she first left, and she made up her mind to speak with him about a great deal many things when they got the chance.

"Finn…" she whispered to herself, closing her eyes and trying to hone in on his location. It took a few seconds before she could sense him, but when she did, she discovered he wasn't alone. That was fine. She could always just keep them company before she could talk to her friend in private. Opening her eyes, she set off towards his location, one of the base's lesser used common rooms. A few minutes later, she was just outside the door. Steeling herself, she walked in, and was surprised to find Finn sitting alone. He looked up upon hearing her footsteps and a wide grin lit up his face.

"Rey," he whispered elatedly. She returned the grin with one of her own, taking another step towards him.

"Finn," she replied. She walked until she was directly in front of him. That's when he stood and gave her a proper embrace that their last meeting hadn't allowed. She buried her head in his shoulder, letting out a harsh, emotional breath. She took a step back when he released her. "You look well."

"I am. I, uh, I've been, um… Heh…" She could feel nervousness radiating from him.

"I've been wanting to see you," she told him sincerely.

"Read my mind, heh. Wait, you… didn't actually-"

"No," she chuckled. "I wouldn't without your permission…" Rey trailed off, a look of guilt appearing on her face. "Not a day goes by when I wish I could've spoken with you during the time I left to train."

"You had more important things to deal with. I understand. Poe and the general have been helping me get used to life around here, Chewie's in and out depending, and now you're back. Are you… staying?" She nodded, expression lightening, though her eyes held a dream like, far off sort of look.

"I am. I was hoping we could catch up. When I heard you were awake, well, when I **felt** you awaken, I wanted to come see you. Luke told me the time to return wasn't right…" Finn smiled, taking in her expression and her words.

"Speaking of catching up, I… I never got to actually apologize, for leaving you. I feel so horrible about it and-"

"What do you have to be sorry for? You were on the run, forced to leave behind everything you ever knew… We both were. You were concerned with our safety. I was never mad at you for that, Finn." The former stormtrooper opened and closed his mouth as he attempted to come up with a response. She gently laid a hand on his cheek. "It's alright." He leaned into the touch, smiling sweetly at her.

"If it's alright with you, it's still pretty early, but I was wondering…" She laughed as his stomach growled loudly in the empty room.

"Join you for breakfast?" she asked.

"Join me for breakfast," he confirmed. "I mean, will you? Join me, I mean. You don't have to, because you just got back from Lothal and you've been up for well over a day now, and-" She shushed him by laying a finger over his lips, biting her own.

"Breakfast sounds nice, Finn." Sheepishly, he nodded, walking by her side as they headed for the mess hall. Once there, they occupied a table in a corner of the room, far from any inquiring minds. Finn wolfed down the actually flavorful, at least compared to food he'd eaten in his time as a stormtrooper, meal on his plate, Rey watching the display fondly as she quickly ate her own. Finn paused when he caught her staring at him over her glass of juice, grinning. He looked away, embarrassed, but failed to stifle a quiet laugh. Silence fell as they finished what was left on their plates.

"It's nice," he finally said. "Being able to eat without feeling like someone in the same room is out to get you, without the threat of the First Order directly above us. It almost feels like home…" She considered his last statement. Home. At first, she considered Jakku her home. Now, it felt like anything but. It was the only world she'd ever known, but now that she was somewhere else in the galaxy, that feeling of home and belonging disappeared. Perhaps the feeling of belonging had been an illusion. She felt at home when she was in the _Falcon_ , when she was flying with Chewie and Finn, helping others, learning more about the new lifestyle she had to lead with her new affiliations and Force abilities.

" _Home_." the word felt foreign as it fell from her lips. She took another sip from her glass before speaking again. "I've never had a real home. I realise that now… Until I met you." Finn looked at her in surprise.

"Me? What do you mean?"

"You dragged me into this life of adventure and excitement and loss and discovery… If I hadn't met you, I'd still be on Jakku, waiting for the parents that… that would never come back." She'd accepted that fact now. Wherever they were, if they were even still alive, they had better things to do than return for a child that they'd most likely forgotten about. "They say home is where the heart is," she continued, staring at her crumb filled plate. "And my heart… lies with you," she finished, looking him in the eyes as the weight of those words registered with him. Finn didn't know how to respond, or how to comprehend his feelings at the moment.

"Rey..." His gaze softened tremendously, a nervous, but beyond happy smile gracing his lips. The way he spoke her name was enough of an answer for Rey, who took his hand across the table. They both averted their eyes before locking gazes. Before they could continue their conversation, a tray with several bowls and plates slammed down next to Finn, and the two ripped their hands away and out of sight. Poe took a seat by Finn, an arm going around the former stormtrooper's shoulders. Finn looked down at his lap and Rey hoped Poe didn't see the temporary icy glare she gave him before calming herself down. Poe seemed oblivious to the situation he'd just interrupted as he made himself comfortable.

"Finn! Up early, as usual." He turned his attention to Rey, who smiled politely in return. "Rey. It's good to see you again," he told her softly, eyes full of wonder and something she couldn't quite place. "Finn's told me a lot about you, but I thought it might be better if I heard from you yourself."

"Finn talks about me?" she asked, intrigued.

"All good things, promise. Though, I can't say the same thing about our buddy over here if you ask me about him." Finn sputtered as Poe and Rey shared a warm laugh. In between bites, Poe described Finn's first few months at base. The embarrassing stories included getting lost, learning how to pilot an X-wing, several conversations between them and General Organa, and incidents involving BB-8. The more he talked, the more Rey grew to like him. Poe was charming, overly so at times, but he was also sweet and blunt when the situation called for it. He oozed confidence, but maintained an aura of seriousness despite his obvious manner around his friends. He was a great guy, really, just not her type. It might explain why Finn was completely entranced in the man's words though, why his arm slipped around Poe's waist, why he gave him affectionate looks. Rey didn't fail to notice how not subtle they were about it, simply choosing not to point it out. Poe, offering to put up their cups and plates, gave them a small opportunity to finally talk alone once more.

"I'm happy for you two," Rey finally said when Poe was out of earshot. Finn's head snapped forward to look at her. Her smile was genuine, but her eyes… They had an almost disappointed, down look to them.

"We- We're not… together, if that's what you're talking about, Rey. It's… complicated, but we're not a, a thing."

"Why not? You obviously care about each other, and he's been there for you more than I-"

"Rey," he told her, tone saying that he wasn't kidding. "We're just friends, close friends, but **just** friends. There's nothing serious going on between us. Besides, there's someone else, someone else who just told me earlier that their heart lay with me." She blushed, almost relieved, but at the same time not quite. Even with Finn's words, there was a seed of doubt planted in her mind now. She nodded as Poe sat back down, gaze trained on her.

"So, what's it been like with the great _Luke Skywalker_?" he immediately asked.

"You mean my training?" He nodded and the two automatically leaned forward, intent on listening in on her every word. She laughed softly at them. "Well, it's more than just meditating and waving around a lightsaber. At first, it was physical training…" She explained how she improved her endurance and strength, soreness and aches in her muscles becoming a normal part of her life, from scaling the huge cliffside to running until she was ready to fall unconscious. "Then, there was the actual Force part of it all…" Starting with small, loose rocks along the path to Luke's location, she worked her way up to the small ship that Luke kept hidden away that had been his transportation to the abandoned planet.

"And then you learned, like, lightsaber techniques, right?" Poe interjected some time later.

"I hope I never have to see another one of those for a while. Those things give me the creeps," Finn piped up. Rey smiled sympathetically.

"Yes. Then there was lightsaber training." The techniques varied with the wielder's fighting style/form. "We worked a lot on defense before he let me near any offensive techniques. He said I fought with a mix of Form III and… something else that was much more offensive. He wasn't for sure."

"And the Force?" Finn questioned. "Is it some sort of infinite energy source that gives you powers, helps you do anything you put your mind to-"

"That's not how the Force works," she said, amused. "It's much more complex than that. You can't just make it bend to your will. It has a will of its own. It… It flows through all things, even if you can't feel it like Force-sensitives can. It binds the universe together in ways you can only imagine. And where there is the Light when it's used for good…" she stopped her explanation, swallowing around a lump in her throat. "… There is also the Dark, when people use it for selfish and self absorbed means."

"There's a good and evil to this thing?" She nodded uncomfortably. Poe noticed the shift in her once bright mood. She'd been so animated just a few minutes ago. "Rey?" His voice was gentle, encouraging. She looked to him, uneasy. "What is it?"

"It's just… Lately, there's been a lot of… disturbances… in the… Force."

"The general said something about one once. She seemed pretty shaken about it afterward," Finn supplied. "They can't be fun."

"No," Rey agreed. "They're not, especially when… when you're the one who caused it." They looked at her concerned, prompting her to continue. Her voice shook slightly as she did. "We, Luke and I, were training one day. We were in combat against each other, and I was trying to gain the upper hand. I reached out to the Force for strength out of frustration and desperation. I… touched the Dark Side, and it… It frightens me. Before that, I experienced a vision when I was still with Luke on that planet. I saw myself and… Kylo Ren. We were fighting, much like last time. This time though… Our positions were reversed in a way. Instead of him being cloaked in Darkness… it was me. It shocked both of us, and it…" She didn't notice her hands were shaking until both Finn and Poe each took one, giving each other friendly smiles at the action.

"It was like a dream, right?" She nodded. Finn continued. "Then it's probably not going to come true. Don't worry about it so much."

"What if it happens again though?" she reasoned. "What if it happens, and I can't stop myself from-"

"Don't think like that. Look, whenever I feel too out of it, I take a nice, long ride in my X-wing to cool off. Actually," he started, standing up and letting go of her hand. "I'm pretty sure I can get my shuttle from my last mission and we can all go. Sound like a plan?" They both nodded at him. He grinned as they stood and followed him outside. "Nothing like the view of endless stars and calm, quiet space to ease your mind," he muttered to himself as he tried to locate his shuttle in the airfield. As he got to the spot where he was absolutely sure he'd landed it, he frowned. His hands clenched into fists as he tried to hold his tongue. Finn noticed.

"What is it?"

"My ship. It's not here. Someone **stole** my ship!"

"Are you sure this is where you left it?" Rey inquired.

" **Yes** , and, unlike everyone else's, mine has my rank and leadership status on the side. It's personalized and…" He shook his head, willing himself to calm down. "C'mon. Maybe the general'll have a few ideas." Finn and Rey exchanged doubtful looks as they followed him to the mission briefing room. Leia smiled in greeting as the three approached.

"Poe Dameron. Congratulations on the successful mission. Luke told me all good things. So, what trouble have you gotten yourself into this time? And please tell me you didn't drag these two into it with you?" she asked. They all shared grins.

"It's about my shuttle, ma'am. There's not a trace of it anywhere outside. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" For the briefest moment, something akin to mischief glinted in her eyes before it disappeared.

She shook her head, replying nonchalantly, "Afraid not."

"You didn't let anyone borrow it for a separate mission or-"

"I lent the two gentlemen you escorted here a ship back to wherever they're headed. I don't know which one they took and I can't tell you much else." She busied herself with a mission report that had just come in. Poe gaped at her for a second before turning to Finn and Rey. He looked to them hopelessly, upset. They left the room, Finn with a hand on his shoulder in reassurance and Rey telling him that everything would work out. Maybe a sparring session would help blow off some steam and distract their minds.

Closing A/N: So, it's shorter than usual (I'm sorry!), but these three will play a big part in part of the plot later. Also, infinite thank you's to FireChildSlytherin5, whose reassurance and compliments have inspired me to get this finished ASAP. Also, I've been behind on posting to this site because Archive Of Our Own has less restrictions and easier formatting. In other words, this was finished and posted there about a month and a half ago. I will do better with that, I promise! Anyway, see y'all next chapter!


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven: Restoring Glory (Part 2)

A/N: All the positive comments I got in the last few months have been the fuel to my writing fire (if that makes any sense), and I can't thank you guys enough! Nothing makes me happier as an author to see that people are enjoying my rookie writing somehow. :) And, yeah, I joined the Sherlock fandom while I was away, so… That happened… Again, many apologies for the long wait! Another installment of a mess of ideas! With that in mind, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaim: I don't own Star Wars or Harry Potter. If I did, we'd already have an Obi-Wan standalone movie and Sirius Black would still be alive (among other things).

Hux, thanks in large part to the fox, wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and hide in a corner at the moment. Kylo had panicked when he'd… when he'd done something through the Force after their meditation session, and Hux wasn't eager to find out what it was. The Supreme Leader had sensed it, however, which meant it had to be serious, and that was what truly worried him. What if Snoke had sensed him using the Force? What if Snoke knew? The thoughts were driving him insane, but he knew that the more he panicked, the worse off he would be, so he shakily got dressed in his uniform, plus cap and greatcoat, making absolutely sure that his animal features were completely hidden. There would be no reverting back to his normal form in this state.

Down the hall, Kylo was having a similar breakdown of sorts. How could he have been so stupid? How could he let this happen? Hux didn't deserve this, to be stuck with him for however long they had left before the Supreme Leader ended them both. Kylo wanted to throw himself out of an airlock for making such a mistake. This- They- He- Kylo took a deep breath to stop the shaking of all his things. It would not help to have a tantrum and wreck his quarters. He grabbed a set of robes from his wardrobe as well as a pair of boots by the foot of his bed, quickly throwing them on before clipping his old lightsaber to his belt. Another deep breath. He felt for the Force, trying to regain some semblance of calm, almost not noticing his door opening and shutting a minute or so later.

Hux was a bit shocked to walk into the room and find the air filled with tendrils of the Dark Side. Kylo sat near the edge of his bed, brow furrowed, muscles tense. The ginger was surprised not to have encountered a Force-field thus far. "Kylo?" he finally spoke. The dark Jedi's eyes snapped open, revealing golden irises. However, the usual calm that came with the change was nowhere to be found. He felt skittish, fidgety, and an overwhelming need to protect Hux, whose fear was strong through their bond. It could have only formed two different ways, from their training or their friendship. Kylo didn't know which would be worse.

"Are you alright?" Kylo asked quietly. Hux glared.

"Judging by your reaction to earlier events, whatever we did is horrible enough to get us killed. The Supreme Leader knows that we did **something** , and it isn't good apparently. He wants to see us both. Do I look alright to you?" Instead of anger, as his expression showed, Kylo heard anxiety in his voice. "What is going on?"

"I don't know," he mumbled distractedly as Hux sat next to him on the edge of the bed. He was too busy observing Hux's body language to register the meaning of the words spoken to him. Hux pulled his cap tighter over his ears while trying to get his tail to stay still. His clawed hands clenched and unclenched in a failing effort to release a bit of tension. Furthermore, he seemed to be restraining himself from… something. He was gritting his teeth, eyes shut, trembling like a leaf.

"For kriff's sake," Hux muttered, strained. Kylo was trying, and failing successfully, to steady his breathing, flinching when he heard a high pitched animalistic whine. It was then that Hux had his head buried in Kylo's chest. Kylo found the general's thoughts easily accessible, registering the same words he'd heard the last time this sort of thing had happened: _Kylo, safe_.

"Hux…" Hux looked up, eyes now a solid, deep emerald, vulnerable, without a single pigment of blue. Kylo had a theory of sorts of what this was, this entity. "You're the fox, aren't you?" he whispered, to which it nuzzled his chest in reply. "You'll be alright, but I need Hux back." It made a low noise in its throat before falling still and silent. Hux's head rose, eyes back to their normal shade, confused.

"Kylo? What am I-?"

"The fox, it…" Hux looked up at him before voluntarily nuzzling him some more, Kylo unsure of what to do.

"I am more… emotionally vulnerable in this state. It… It knows you're a friend. It feels safe around you, worries for your well being…" He paused. "It's almost like another person."

"And you?" the ravenette questioned softly. "What do you feel?" Hux gulped before pulling away, becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

"I…" He didn't know how to answer that, not at the moment. "… feel that we shouldn't leave the Supreme Leader to wonder where we are any longer." Hux felt a pang of disappointment from Kylo, frowning. Kylo removed the cap briefly, scratching him behind the ears in an effort to calm him still.

"You're right. We've stalled long enough." The redhead smiled slightly, humming contently at the contact.

"Who said we were stalling?" Batting Kylo's hands away with difficulty, he replaced his cap as his smile faded. "Kylo…" ' _I'm sorry I got us into this mess. I'm sorry I've caused you to worry. This is all my fault-_ "

"None of this is your fault. If anyone is to blame in this situation, it's me." He stood, making his way over to the door. "Should the Supreme Leader issue a punishment, I'm willing to-"

"No," Hux insisted, joining Kylo's side as they left his quarters. "If it has something to do with me, if he knows what I am-"

"I won't let him hurt you, Armitage, and I won't let you put yourself in harm's way." Hux, surprised both by the statement and the dead serious tone of voice it was spoken in, said nothing, keeping up with Kylo's brisk pace as they made their way to the lower deck holochamber. After the doors closed behind them, Snoke appeared, large form no less intimidating than normal. He didn't look as severe as usual, expression not as strict yet uninterested as it normally was. Instead, he sat up with a purpose, as if preparing to give a long and drawn out complicated speech.

"There have been several disturbances in the Force since our last meeting, my apprentice. Have you felt them?"

Kneeling, the black clad warrior answered, "Yes, master, both of them."

"Both? Three. There have been **three** disturbances in our time apart." Kylo seemed perplexed. Three? There was Rey's touch to the Dark Side and his vision…

"I don't-"

"The most recent of these was mere minutes ago, between you and General Hux." He turned to Hux. "Are you aware that you and Kylo have bonded through the Force, General?" Kylo paled and Hux looked ready to faint right then and there. Despite this, he looked up at Snoke and addressed him as he normally would.

"No, Supreme Leader. I had no idea." His voice was less steady than he would've liked, but it was more steady than how he felt at the moment, so he would consider that a minor victory.

"Perhaps you are aware but do not realize it. Did you think I didn't know about your _secret?_ Did you think that you could hide it from me?" Kylo was immediately hit with a strong wave of panic through the bond that rivaled his own. He winced, but they paid him no mind.

"Supreme Leader, I would've revealed it to you sooner had I realized-"

"Silence!" Snoke hissed. In a less angry tone, he ordered, "Remove your cap." Hux looked to Kylo in confusion and uncertainty before removing his command cap, ears and face on full display. He stared at his feet now, freeing his tail seeing as how there was no point in hiding it anymore. Ears flat against his skull, claws flexing shakily, tail drooping, the sight tugged at what was left of Kylo's heartstrings. "Were you not aware that your fox characteristics, the fox spirit that resides within you, were that of the Force?"

Ears pricking up in interest, Hux inquired, "Of… the Force?"

"Yes," Snoke answered, taking on a sort of teacher demeanor for a moment. "Its spirit is a manifestation of your greatest strengths and weaknesses. For instance, your cunning and strategic mind as some of your strengths. It is an extremely unique and rare trait that hasn't been seen in many decades, since the time of the Jedi and the Sith." Hux pondered the being's words. This… condition?... of sorts is part of the Force? Is that why he was Force sensitive?

"But… Why do I have this…?" Hux trailed off, gesturing to himself.

"You play an important role in future events," Snoke began, pausing for a moment, hands under his chin, looking eerily thoughtful when he spoke again. "You must have a strong will to be worthy of such a power. You should feel honored, General." Hux didn't look so sure, but nodded, head slightly down. Snoke then turned to Kylo. "Now, what have you gathered from each disturbance?"

"I felt the Dark Side flare considerably the first time. Another Force user was pulling great amounts of power. It had to have been the girl. Her lack of training guarantees she'll have touched the Dark Side at least once, and no one else could cause such a reaction. The second time was…" He trailed off. Snoke eyed him, silently commanding that he continue. "... Exceedingly painful. I… had a vision concerning myself and the girl. We were on the next Starkiller Base." Snoke seemed pleasantly surprised.

"And?"

"And this time it was I who emerged victorious. She escapes, however… again…" As Kylo bows his head in what he hoped looked like embarrassment as opposed to the curiosity and anxiety that part of the vision brought to him, Snoke leaned back in his throne, head resting atop his hands, usual demeanor returning.

"I see. And what were you doing before I called you here?" Now it was time to discuss their current predicament. Hux looked to Kylo with an unreadable expression. Just what would he say, and whose trust did he value more?

"Meditating, Supreme Leader, with the general. I… discovered his transformation a few days prior, and we both agreed that it may be useful to look to the Force for answers. After we began, I do not remember much…" Hux didn't know how to feel about the answer Kylo had given. It had been honest, but there were key details missing, and for that he was grateful.

" _Sloppy_ ," came the immediate response, "And dangerous. You had no idea what the entity was, yet you reached out to it anyway. Now, it and you are bonded and, by extension, you and Hux. But I trust this won't impact the Order's progress?"

"Of course not, Supreme Leader," Hux answered respectfully.

"Very well. I expect a report when the construction of the next Starkiller is underway." The two co-commanders bowed, Kylo feeling chills run down his spine as he rose to meet Snoke's icy, suspicious gaze. The hologram disappeared, leaving the two in dark silence. Neither wanted to make the first move, both frozen in place, their only noticeable movement the rise and fall of their chests as they breathed. They didn't know whether to be relieved or outright panicked now that the meeting was over. From what Kylo could, or could not, in this case, read from Hux, it was neither. Indifference and a strong mental/emotional barrier radiated from the ginger and their bond. Hux felt Kylo's worry and, unable to take much more of being in the holochamber, marched out the door. Kylo joined his side.

"Hux?" he asked quietly, unsurely, gaze focused on the area ahead of them before flickering over to him. Hux didn't answer, now briskly walking back to his quarters in an attempt to put a bit of distance between the two of them, a lost Kylo not far behind. "Hux, I-"

"Not now, not here." His answer was short and militaresque, an order. Kylo bristled at the tone of voice, waiting until they'd reached Hux's quarters before trying again. However, as soon as he opened his mouth, the general stopped him. "Kylo, not now, not yet. I know you want to explain things, but I can't do this right now. Just… Give me time to process this before I do something I'll regret." The knight couldn't contain his feelings of pain and regret, and, judging by Hux's sharp intake of breath, he'd projected it. With a remorseful look of his own, he entered his quarters quietly, door shutting soundly behind him as he practically collapsed onto his bed. Kylo stared at the metal door for a moment before sighing in defeat, entering his own quarters with a wave of his hand. The "I'm sorry," that had been on his lips mere minutes ago died away, and he dreaded the next few days. They both undressed, falling into fitful sleep, images of the end of Kylo's vision once again falling over their heads.

XxX

Phasma kept her gaze trained on Hux as his second shift ended the next day, after three small, pointless meetings that morning, walking with him off the command bridge, soon joined by Mitaka as they made their way down to one of the lower middecks. Upon closer inspection, Phasma noticed the bags beginning to form under Hux's eyes, which hadn't really been present since he and Lord Ren's trip to Ilum's surface. After exiting a lift, Hux navigated them into one of the _Finalizer's_ more fine establishments. Some of the higher ranked off duty officers and stormtroopers inhabited the bar and gambling tables throughout the expansive room. Everyone looked up when they heard several pairs of echoing footsteps over the low music in the background. With polite nods, they resumed their tasks at hand as Hux, Phasma, and Mitaka took seats at the end of the bar, Phasma setting her helmet down on the bartop in front of her.

"General," the bartender greeted with a half smile. "What'll it be?"

"The strongest drink you have on the ship," he replied. Mitaka went wide eyed while Phasma raised an eyebrow, but the bartender merely shrugged before turning to them.

"Surprise me," Phasma answered, too curious about what Hux had called them for to care what would be in her glass.

"Water will be fine," Mitaka told him, wishing to be completely sober if the conversation were to be serious, which Hux had made clear that it was. With nods to them, he disappeared into a back room, leaving the three of them to sit in a strange silence.

"So what did you want to talk to us about, Armi?" Phasma questioned, looking to her friend with a mixture of curiosity and concern. She and Mitaka looked at him expectantly.

"Many things," he replied distractedly, fiddling with one of his leather gloves. "They are things that I haven't told anyone, save the people who've found out by accident." He looked pointedly at Phasma, who hummed in understanding. It was then that they found three glasses slid across the bar, a water, a mixed glass, and a strange silvery gold glass that stopped in front of Hux.

"A mix of the galaxy's two strongest drinks from two different rims," he told Hux, "A combination of several new spirits just imported-"

"Mix of fancy new liquor. Got it," Phasma spoke, cutting him off. He nodded to her.

"And a water." With that, he shuffled over to attend to patrons on the other side of the bar. Hux downed his glass in one go, much to the other two's surprise, slamming it down as he felt a satisfying burn in his throat and the melting away of his stress. He felt some of the tension leave his body, and he breathed a bit easier. Well. Good taste and high alcohol content. Impressive. "A slight relaxant and a drink," the bartender piped up, filling two more glasses for Hux before shuffling away again. Hux now fully turned his attention to Phasma and Mitaka.

"There are several things you need to know and several things I know you wish to ask me. As the two closest people to me on this ship, I thought it would be best if I explained myself before things get too out of hand," he began, sipping his next glass in favor of savoring the drink. "I've sure you've noticed my unusual behavior and disappearances over the last four months. My changed behavior is a result of two… _abilities_ of sorts that I possess, neither by choice. The first, I've kept hidden until the destruction of Starkiller, until both Phasma and Kylo discovered my… Force abilities…" Mitaka's eyes widened, though he kept most of his surprise out of his voice when he spoke.

"And your Force abilities. Are they as powerful as… as **his** , or-" He became silent when Phasma's untouched glass flew across the table into Hux's open hand. He took a sip, frowning at the taste, before Force-pushing it back to her.

"It depends," Hux replied. "I use the Force only when I absolutely have to, or for small things when the crew is not around to witness them. My experiences as a child…" He trailed off, confused, before he jerked his head minutely to the side, catching his name among conversation. … _A reckless weasle who thinks he can can do whatever he wants. He has no right, rank be damned! The First Order has lost trillions of credits, millions of troopers, and for what? So he can build a discount Deathstar and please the Supreme Leader? So he can flaunt his position and embarrass us all? I'd shoot him myself if Kylo Ren wasn't his personal guard as of late. I'd rather have a battle hardened madman as my commander than a spoiled rich boy any day._ After that sentence, the officer who spoke began choking, dropping his hand of cards on the floor and clutching his throat, knocking a glass over, spilling its contents and causing it to shatter. Phasma and Mitaka whirled around on their stools, Phasma with an amused look and Mitaka with a mixture of fear and awe. Hux glared at the officer from across the room, hands twitching by his side.

"Wha- ack- i-is-" His voice died when he caught Hux's death stare from across the room, paling and pointing weakly in their general direction before falling unconscious out of his seat. Everyone turned to look their way, Hux sipping his glass while looking nonchalantly at the officer on the ground.

"Someone call a med-droid, or carry him to the medbay if you must. No doubt he's had too much to drink." No one moved for a second. "What are you all just sitting there for? Are you just going to leave him like that?" The two sitting next to him put the officer's arms around them, hauling him out of the room. Hux and everyone else turned back to what they'd been doing. Phasma raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips. Mitaka gulped, not knowing how to respond.

"You can… um…"

"Yes, I can Force-choke others, though I've only done it a handful of times. I can do other things as well, but it'd be best to show you another time, away from prying eyes. And as I was saying before, my childhood experiences with things flying about or rooms being barricaded by some invisible energy deterred me from using my abilities. It was only after I was almost out of the academy that I used them more frequently, though not by much."

"Has Lord Ren offered assistance in learning to control them?" Phasma asked. Hux nodded, draining the other half of his glass.

"Several times. I took him up on the offer some time ago, though I'm afraid we've hit a bit of a roadblock recently concerning our… relationship…" Phasma choked on her recently refilled glass, almost spraying liquor across the floor while Mitaka looked on in understanding.

"What did you fight about?" he asked, seemingly oblivious to Phasma's incorrect interpretation of Hux's statement.

"My… _other_ abilities are a part of why I've kept my distance from him today. The other is a matter of the Supreme Leader and his explanation of our current situation. I… didn't initially know what to think of the revelations, so rather than do something foolish, I decided space would be a safer option."

"And Lord Ren's opinion on the matter?"

"Well, I suspect he's just as confused and worried as I am if his reaction before and after was any indication. He was panicked when he realized the situation we'd gotten into, and that was **before** the Supreme Leader demanded to speak to us." Mitaka then glanced down uncomfortably. He didn't want to pry on such an important matter. Hux, eyes sweeping over the room to ensure no one was looking their way, sighed, and asked Mitaka and Phasma to look at him. "This doesn't leave the three of us," he stressed, and they both nodded, Mitaka with a serious look and Phasma grinning like a lunatic. Closing his eyes, Hux allowed his fox features to become fully visible, flicking his ears lightly when he was sure he was in his half-fox form. He opened his now emerald eyes to stare at his two closest friends, not expecting the reactions they were giving him. Phasma looked ready to squeal at the sight while Mitaka stared in wonder, observing each new feature with interest. He got up stood in front of the general, a hand partially raised.

"May I?" he inquired, gesturing to the pointy red ears atop Hux's head. Hux dipped his head in answer, pressing against Mitaka's hand. The lieutenant startled, then proceeded to scratch behind his ears gently, Hux smiling and humming in response, leaning into the touch. Phasma grinned from ear to ear and Mitaka let a nervous smile grace his face. He then noticed the black claws that replaced the general's nails, the non-human eyes staring up at him, the smooth, abundant layer of hair- no, **fur** \- on the general's arms, the tail that swished back and forth at the bottom of Hux's spine. He removed his hand and allowed Hux to sit up straight again

"Amazing," Mitaka whispered, returning to his seat. "I assume that _that_ is what contributes to your enhanced hearing and eyesight?"

"Yes. All of my senses are heightened when I'm in this state, as well as my agility, flexibility, and overall reaction times. It also contributes to my differed diet, which is why I may be eating on the bridge from time to time." He turned his gaze to Phasma, who'd been unusually silent for the last few minutes. He saw that she'd finished her drink at some point and seemed to be struggling to contain herself. "Yes?" he asked begrudgingly. She almost giggled.

"You. Look. Adorable," she stated simply, completely honest. Hux looked insulted.

"Gwen!" he retorted, mortified. Mitaka scoffed at her, though remained smiling.

"So, if I set mouse droids loose on the ship, would you chase after them?" Hux glared, though there was no real heat in his gaze, more embarrassment than anything. "Or, would you let me brush your fur? Maybe I could put little bows-" He snapped at her hand reaching for his ears, sharp, canine teeth slightly bared.

"You will do no such things. Will you at least try to be serious?" Her smile faded, replaced with a straighter face.

"I'm being serious. I am. I think you look adorable as a fox and I've sat here and listened to everything you've told us. I'm sure you have much more to tell us. You were saying something about Snoke earlier?" He huffed and nodded.

"He explained the reason for my fox characteristics, which are tied to the Force, as well as his expectations of Starkiller's start of construction and the First Order's progress going forward despite recent revelations." Phasma nodded, settling back into Captain mode..

"With regards to Starkiller II, have we found a planet to build it on yet?"

"Yes. A long abandoned formerly industrial planet in the Outer Rim is what was decided on. We've seen no sign of sentient life thus far, and as soon as fund are all squared away, we shall begin construction."

"And will we be discussing it at the commanders' meeting in two days time?"

"That and several other things."

"So, if you and Lord Ren are back to actively hating each other-"

"We are friends who have fallen out over a serious matter and require space, not arch-enemies," Hux corrected. Phasma rolled her eyes.

"Right, so if you and him aren't on speaking terms right now, how are you going to coordinate the meeting? Everyone has to speak, you know."

"I'll figure it out," he responded. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"If he's hurt or ends up hurting you in the future, in any way, I will riddle him with blaster shots and hang him as a trophy on the bridge for the whole crew to see."

"Stop being overprotective. It's bad enough one of you is a mother hen. I don't need someone defending my honor, least of all you and your mean-streak backed loyalty. Besides, he would never hurt me, intentionally or otherwise."

"And you would know this, wouldn't you?" She raised her eyebrows cheekily. Mitaka facepalmed and gave Hux an apologetic look.

"Gwen, I thought we discussed this," Mitaka told her.

"We argued, Dopheld, and never reached a shared opinion. I say he and Lord Ren plan to rule the galaxy together, head over heels for each other already and keeping things a secret." Hux raised an eyebrow, amused. She then grinned slyly, and Mitaka silently begged her to not say another word. She ignored him. " **You** say that they don't understand how they feel about each other right now, but when they do, it could go either way, and you're just hoping they don't get themselves killed in the process." Hux wasn't surprised to hear Mitaka being his usual observant self. "You'd officiate the wedding if they'd let you." At that, Hux spat out his drink, staring at Phasma in disbelief.

" **Me** marry **Kylo Ren**?! Have you lost your mind?"

"I-I didn't say that," Mitaka denied to her. "I have no idea what you are talking about." As he and Phasma bickered for a few moments, Hux took that time to take deep breaths and get the image of he and Kylo at an altar out of his mind.

"Perhaps we can move onto less ludicrous topics? The last four months, maybe?" Phasma, getting in the last word, finally fell silent, Mitaka avoiding Hux's eyes. Hux then told them of past events: his trip planetside with Kylo, the two months spent at Snoke's citadel, the kyber crystal incident on Ilum, building his saber, the mission with his brother, the Force vision, their meeting with General Organa, his and Kylo's… bond… He trusted them with his life, sparing no details, even divulging a bit on his and Kylo's friendship, which was all it was. Phasma reacted openly, making her opinions known without using words. Mitaka continued looking understanding and non-judgemental. The three sat in contemplative silence when he was finished.

"Well," Phasma commented after they'd all drained their latest glass, "Your life sounds like it's been interesting as of late." He shook his head and smiled fondly.

"Indeed it has."

XxX

The day after his heart to heart of sorts with Phasma and Mitaka was strange. Hux felt as though he were doing nothing more than going through the motions, emotionally and mentally drained at the moment. He stood at his usual place on the bridge, mind lost in thought, gazing out at the stars, when he heard the familiar thud of heavy combat boots echoing behind him. He stiffened before forcing himself to relax. He knew it was inevitable that they'd run into each other, but he knew not how their interactions would go. Steeling himself, his gaze remained fixed on the galaxy outside the ship, only speaking when the footsteps halted a step or two to his right.

"Lord Ren," he addressed a hooded Kylo, ignoring the pang in his chest at the formal greeting. He's glad that he hasn't felt the bond since that day, or they'd both be a mess of unbridled emotion.

"General," Kylo greeted back, tone emotionless and a bit resigned. He remained silent for a few minutes, gathering his thoughts as he observed the bridge crew, completely oblivious to their commanders' internal struggle. "About tomorrow's meeting…"

"I will discuss Starkiller's successor as well as the First Order's overall financial and other planetary relations states. Phasma will discuss the stormtrooper program as well as ship and planetary security. Mitaka will discuss any other smaller matters that we don't cover. You may offer your input on our discussions as you wish." Kylo nodded before remembering Hux was not facing him.

"Of course. I trust we're still to greet them in the hangar and escort them to the conference room as discussed previously?"

"Yes. Nothing has changed from our last conversation on the specifics of the meeting." As in, nothing had changed from the schedule he'd sent to Kylo's hardly used datapad the night before as he tried burning through a pile of paperwork sitting on his desk as he returned to his quarters from the bar conversation. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a meeting about finances I'll be leaving for shortly, and I'll be occupied finalizing key talking points for tomorrow's meeting for the rest of the evening. Will that be all?" Kylo clenched his fists, bothered by the tension between himself and Hux. How had they gone from friends back to indifferent colleagues after one conversation? He willed himself to forget about that and attempt to calm down.

"Yes. Good day, General." With a swish of his robes, Kylo was marching off the bridge without glancing back. Hux watched him go, ignoring the pang of feelings attempting to make themselves known through the bond. With a sigh, he made his way to a lower deck conference room.

XxX

Hux and Kylo stood across from Phasma and Mitaka in the hangar bay as several ships docked, commanders gathering by the four of them. From the last ship, arriving a few minutes later than the rest due to coming from the Deep Core, emerged a tall, familiar ginger commander who looked to be several years younger than Hux. It was obvious to Kylo that they were related, even without the warm smile Hux greeted the man with.

"Rhandal. It's been years. Congratulations on the promotion." Mitaka led the group while the two brothers fell to the back, conversing quietly.

"Same to you, Will. Seems like life at the top suits you. Percy sends his thanks, by the way, says he hopes to see you at mum's for the summer. We'll all be there."

"All six of you?" he questioned. He received a nod. "I'll pay the twins a visit in the near future and put a holo-call out to Chandler, though I won't see Giana until the summer in that case. That's assuming things calm down enough between the First Order and Resistance for me to leave the _Finalizer_ for an extended period of time."

" 'S alright if you can't, but we all wanted to extend the invitation. Dad was asking after you too."

"Is he well?"

"Yeah, now that the planet's council is off his back after the whole smuggler/diplomats misunderstanding."

"You'll have to tell me more after the meeting," Hux told him as they strolled into the conference room last, Rhandal taking a seat next to Phasma and Hux standing at one end of the long table next to a holoprojector. He turned his attention to the 12 commanders. "Are there any pressing matters to address before the meeting officially begins?" he asked them.

"Are we to assume that the First Order's funds are in order post Starkiller?" the woman on his immediate right, Commander Tsulant of the Constellation, questioned. She was a reasonable woman, one of two women commanders in the room. She was also the only other commander besides his brother who halfway liked him, and if that wasn't the case, she at least respected him and his efforts.

"Of course. I know more about banking and finances than you think, and though we haven't completely recovered all the credits lost from its destruction, our Knights of Ren have been working behind the scenes in the last few months to fix that. Two thirds of the total-"

"And your new Starkiller," Commander Arnett of the _Victory_ interrupted. "We're just supposed to sit back and watch you begin construction of another multi trillion credit failure?" He, as well as most of the other commanders, did not approve of the construction of another Starkiller, despite Snoke's orders to proceed. Rhandal would obviously support his brother, though he had his doubts, as did Commander Tsulant. Arnett's co-commander, Commander Shepard, was indifferent on the matter, though she seemed to lean more towards the side of disapproval despite not having a concrete opinion. Hux tried to maintain his look of indifference at being both interrupted and insulted.

"The destruction of Starkiller was only possible through the intel of a traitor, one who is no longer a threat. He's either in a bacta tank, fighting for his life, or he's dead-"

"Alive," Kylo told him, seemingly staring off into space, startling half the room as their eyes rested on him. "Alive and well, unfortunately, though he's been barred from any strenuous activities until their medics are sure he's sustained no long term injuries after healing."

"And just how in the galaxy do you know that?!" the commander of the _Guardian_ questioned, standing at his seat with a look of vexation. Kylo looked up then, frowning beneath his hood, observing the commanders in his sight. He sat opposite of Hux at the long conference table, glancing at each person before replying.

"The same way I know the _Emissary, Valkyrie, and Defiance_ would rather be anywhere but on this ship, the _Liberator_ cannot stand anyone in this room, and the _Phoenix_ just wishes we would move this meeting along." He smirked at the stunned looks he received. "The same way I know you're just _itching_ to shoot me with the blaster hidden in your jacket, but won't because you fear me and what I can do." Hux internally sighed. Leave it to Kylo to aggravate his (reluctant) allies without even trying. He watched the _Guardian's_ commander reach inside his jacket for a rather worrying looking blaster with a scope. Before he could become alarmed, however, it and several other blasters flew into the air and landed neatly in a pile in front of Kylo with a wave of his hand. They stared, perplexed and not believing their eyes. Hux, for the first time in two days, met Kylo's mischievous gaze with his amused one, and smiled. He received a trademark grin in return as Kylo's hand lowered back to its previous place, resting on his lightsaber hilt. "You were saying, General?" Hux shook his head fondly before redirecting the conversation.

"Nevermind our previous topic, though I will note that construction is due to start in one week, the overall time required to complete the base shortened due to pre-constructed parts in case parts on the original Starkiller needed to be replaced. Assuming everyone is clear on the matter, why don't we move on?" Hux began discussing the First Order's planetary relations, their allies, enemies, and neutral systems, before handing things over to Phasma to talk about the Stormtrooper program. Each commander reported troop numbers and supply/weaponry records. While troop numbers were still under desired levels, training new recruits had been nothing but success, and Phasma's legion remained the Order's strongest and largest, despite losing the most at Starkiller, much to several others' chagrin. She moved on to resources, the group discussing items such as building materials, everything in between, and items like food. Resource inflow had remained fairly stable in the last four months. When the meeting seemed to wind down, Mitaka taking any other smaller questions, Hux jerked his head slightly at the sound of thundering footsteps and distant blaster fire.

"What in…?" Hux murmured to himself. He laid a hand on one of his blasters. Kylo almost jumped when he felt a sense of concern flood through him, as well as the need to be on alert. The force bond! He turned his attention away from Mitaka's explanation of their newest array of blaster rifles to focus on Hux, whose mind was clearly elsewhere. Rhandal noticed the change in both commanders, making his way over to Kylo, who reached out within the ship.

"What is it?" the ginger asked, reaching out within the ship himself to assess the danger.

Kylo, unaware of his companion's actions, replied, "It seems the commanders who wished to be anywhere but here brought company, more than enough for a surprise attack, but I can't figure out who for." Their numbers had to at least be bordering on-

"Looks like around one hundred, all armed, but how did they get here?" Kylo startled at the observation, finding it to be correct. How-?

"Phasma, put all 'troopers on alert that we have enemy intruders on the ship." Speaking into his comm link, Hux connected with the bridge. "Lieutenant, alert the bridge crew on the situation at hand and warn the rest of the ship that we're going into a lockdown." He turned to the group of commanders eyeing him with confused and dark looks. "Phasma, Mitaka, make sure no one leaves the room. Lord Ren and myself will attempt to deviate attention from-"

"You're not leaving without me," Rhandal interjected, pulling out of his cloak what looked like a small baton, but what Kylo knew to be something much more lethal.

"Is that-?"

"A San-Ni staff. It's a family heirloom my great great granddad found in his travels. Used to belong to some jedi hero apparently." He twisted both ends and pulled them away from each other, the sturdy metal elongating as two power couplets crackled to life in between the three main metal sections. Stun prods made themselves visible at each end of the now tall staff. "Shall we?" Kylo drew and ignited his old lightsaber, which felt almost foreign in his hands after the construction of his newer one. The red cross-guard blade still shown as brilliantly as ever though. Hux drew both of his pistols and joined them as they prepared to leave the room, but not before he keyed in one of his override codes on the panel next to the door to initiate a ship-wide lockdown. Overhead lights flickered to red, and the sound of blast doors closing on the ends of hallways reverberated through the air.

"Be on your guard," Hux warned them, glancing out of the room first before telling them, "It's lucky we're at the end of the hall. An assault from two sides wouldn't have been favorable. They're all at the other end, forty to fifty 'troopers from the looks of it." He turns to Kylo. "How many were there initially?"

"Around one hundred. The other half is scattered on this level, thankfully, and nowhere else." He grinned a bit over excitedly. "Guns blazing?"

"Guns blazing," Hux agreed, matching his grin as the two confidently charged down the hall, leaving Rhandal standing, dumbfounded, for a few seconds, wondering if that was really his uptight, tactician big brother, before running to catch up, letting the conference room door shut behind him. Hux, with impeccable aim, sprayed a barrage of blaster bolts at the front line of rogue 'troopers, making sure to stay at Kylo's side as the dark jedi froze the blaster shots fired at them with ease. Quickly analyzing the formation in front of him, Kylo wound his arm back and aimed his saber. He let it go, watching as it sliced through armor, returning to his hand after careful maneuvering and completing a narrow arc through the enemy troopers in the hallway. Hux hung back to single out lone troopers or small clusters while Rhandal and Kylo proceeded to engage in melee combat. Rhandal made sure to stay well away from Kylo as his wide staff swings and spins seared through armor and left several others twitching on the ground from electric shock. Kylo cut down those who remained, until there was one trooper left, helmetless, clutching his arm from a saber cut, scrambling backwards away from Kylo, who was advancing on him.

Before he could strike the final blow, however, he found his saber halted as Hux cried, "Wait!" He turned, giving Hux an irked look before hearing, "I want answers, and we won't get any out of a corpse." Kylo gestured to the ones knocked unconscious from electrocution by Rhandal's San-Ni staff.

"What about them? They're perfectly alive." Hux scoffed.

"Don't be ridiculous. _They're_ going out of the nearest airlock once this whole matter is resolved. I want _that one_ interrogated, and I know you know fully well how to do that. Just don't kill him."

"I've never killed-"

"You've come startlingly close to completely destroying a person's mind. I wouldn't say it's outside your range of ability."

"And just when will this "interrogation" take place?" Rhandal asked uncertainly, not sure he was liking where this conversation was going. Hux turned to Rhandal, seeming to have forgotten he was there the last minute or so.

"Someone in _that_ conference room," Hux hissed, pointing at the door they'd walked out of minutes before, "Ordered their men to lead a strike on the inside of this ship, endangering the lives of **you** , **Kylo** , myself, the lesser leaders of the First Order, and **my crew**. They will deny it outright unless we have both proof and leverage, both of which our _dear stormtrooper_ here will provide." Stowing their weapons away, the three made their way back to the conference room, Kylo easily picking up the injured trooper and, after Hux unlocked the door with his override code, proceeded to chuck him across the conference table, startling the room. He landed in a heap in one of the farthest chairs. Phasma looked outraged, at who Hux wasn't for certain, and Mitaka paled as he watched Kylo march over to the trooper with a glower.

"Just what is the meaning of this?" Commander Shepard of the _Victory_ demanded to know. "What is the situation?"

"The situation," Hux stated with an eerie sense of calm, "Is that there was an attempt on one or more of our lives by one or more of you, and I would simply like to know why." Kylo felt the barely contained rage through their now once again fully opened bond, which only fueled his own anger at being attacked and taken for a fool. "If no one will take the high road and be forthcoming with the information I desire, I'm afraid Lord Ren will have to give you all a… _demonstration_ in ensuring honesty out of his "allies."" He observed them all carefully. They didn't seem to be taking him seriously. He sighed. "Perhaps our stormtrooper would be more willing to answer." Their eyes all landed on Kylo and the trooper.

"I have… n-nothing to say," the trooper answered defiantly. Kylo's glower deepened, and he raised a hand, prying cautiously at first, hoping he wouldn't have to fully pick apart the fool's mind. He ignored the trooper's feeble resistance, his pleas to stop, finding the information he needed with ease. His glower turned to a look of satisfaction at the horror present on the trooper's face. Kylo leaned down towards him after taking in the sight.

"You're one of the lucky few," Kylo whispered in his ear. "That was surprisingly painless on your part and surprisingly easy on mine, and you're even still conscious." The trooper fell ungracefully out of the chair as he tried to put as much distance between himself and Kylo as the room would allow. Kylo pulled away with a straight face, which quickly morphed into something much more dangerous as he rounded on the group of commanders. Though the hood obscured most of his features, he was fairly certain everyone could see the murderous look in his eyes. "It appears that the… _Defiance, Liberator, Emissary,_ and _Valkyrie_ decided a change in leadership was in order. Thinking Hux and myself fools and easily dealt with, the six of you took it upon yourselves to organize a small attack force to get rid of us at the end of this meeting. Each of the four shuttles you arrived in contained several of your best squadrons. Because of my… stunt… earlier, however, one of you signaled for the troops to attack as soon as our discussions of important topics was over and done with, thinking an attack in the hangar post-meeting would've looked staged and transparent. You did not intend for us to come back alive, or to be tipped off before your troops could arrive to the room." Almost snarling, he added, "Did I miss anything?" He didn't receive a response.

"Honestly," one of them spoke after an extended period of silence, "This is preposterous. Surely one trooper couldn't possibly-"

"If he so wished, he could pick apart every piece of your stormtrooper's mind for any information he wished: conspiracies, threats, secrets."

"Is this true?" Commander Tsulant asked her companions. "Were you planning to forcibly remove General Hux and Lord Ren from power?"

"Would you rather they be allowed to lead the First Order to ruin? Credits wasted, troops lost, even the loyalty of his crew is in question."

"We have no time to fight over what little power we commanders and ranking officers have! While we squabble over position, the Resistance threat grows. They are quickly gaining the support of systems across the galaxy; they have Jedi in their ranks that can match hundreds of our finest troopers; their numbers continue to grow while ours plummet. We have bigger issues to deal with!" Hux exclaimed. He took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "Call the rest of your troops off. _**Now**_." One of the commanders of the _Liberator_ spoke into a comm link.

"Stand down men." He glared at Hux, defeated. "Troop assistance is no longer required."

"Yessir," is heard back through the comm link.

"The other side of this level, gathered outside the adjacent conference room," Kylo spoke. Phasma nodded, activating the comm link in her helmet.

"I need several squadrons to head down to the starboard side of level one. Subdue the intruders. Helmets off." Hux walked over to the panel by the door, deactivating the ship-wide lockdown.

"You're very fortunate I'm more forgiving than my reputation makes me out to be. The six of you are no longer welcome anywhere near my ship. As for the rest of you, I'm sure that you understand I want everyone out of my sight as soon as possible." Hux felt surprise through the force bond, now fully open again, he noticed. As soon as they all, save Rhandal, filed out of the room, blasters still laying on the table incase they got any ideas, escorted by Phasma and Mitaka, Kylo and Rhandal questioned Hux.

"Are only like that with them, or is this how you usually are?" Rhandal asked, half joking, half not.

"I don't treat my crew like that, no." The older brother sighed, tone softer. "This is why I asked the six of you to stay away from the Order. It forces you to be someone you don't want to have to be, and it's full of corrupt leaders who will do whatever is necessary to get their way."

"Aren't all governments somewhat like that though? I don't blame you for trying to keep us away, but there was no way I was about to let you serve here, **alone**. I'm not the bravest Westley-Hux, but I'm probably the most loyal." Hux smiled slightly.

"I know, and I'm glad you're here."

"So that's it? You're just letting them go?" Kylo finally piped up. "After what we've just discovered, they get to leave without any retaliation whatsoever." Hux raised an eyebrow, the look on his face saying his answer was obvious.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kylo. That one," he pointed to the stormtrooper still cowering in the corner, "Will join the rest of his companions. I haven't decided what to do with the other half, though I suppose they can make themselves at home in the lowest level holding cells while I think about it. As for those commanders, I had a tracking device placed on each of them as they arrived. Once within range of their ships' computers, we will have permanent access to their movements and location routed directly to us." Kylo was pleasantly surprised. "I am an engineer if you've forgotten."

"So you'll be able to track them incase they decide to try and finish the job," Rhandal finished. Hux had a strange, unreadable look on his face, a cross between sheepishness, uncertainty, and a devilish smirk. They left the room, heading towards the hangar now that enough time had passed since the departure of the other commanders.

The two couldn't tell if Hux was joking in his next statement when he said, "Well… that, and the fact that we'll be able to target them once Starkiller II has been completed. It doesn't just target planets, after all."

Closing A/N: Okay then. I've been gone awhile. Regardless, there is still an endpoint in mind for this fic that I am slowly, but surely piecing together. Also, I haven't seen The Last Jedi yet, but I have friends who don't understand the meaning of NO SPOILERS, so I know some major plot points and such unfortunately. All I will say is that I will judge when I have watched it all the way through (and not just based off vague spoilers and the hour-ish worth of movie clips found on YouTube that I just happened to totally not search for, which, WOW. My brain is still trying to process a lot of it). *# of commanders per ship: Victory (2), Liberator (2), Challenger (1), Valkyrie (1), Emissary (1), Defiance (2), Constellation (1), Guardian (1), Phoenix (1)


	13. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve: Heart to Heart

A/N: First part takes place at the end of chapter… nine, I believe, at the same time Kylo and Hux are conversing in Hux's mindscape. After that, we're back to the present. Not proofread because I'm lazy, yada yada. Also, much love and thanks to everyone reading! We're at 20+ comments, 50+ kudos, and OVER 2,000 VIEWS! Thanks for taking time out of your day to look at my work, you guys! 3 :)

 _A vast expanse of darkness stretched endlessly as far as the eye could see. The presence of the Force was strong here. Rey lifted her hand in front of her face and found she could still see it. Not a dark room then. Where exactly was she? She reached out, concentrating, and felt a brief shift around her, the presence of another Force user. She honed in on the Force signature, eyes closed, and let her feet carry her through the mysterious landscape. Her feet stopped of their own accord, and she slowly opened her eyes to find herself face to face with-_

" _ **Kylo Ren**_ _," she breathed, hardly believing her eyes. Light and dark flames licked at his skin, flaring out randomly, but never too far away from his person. Head slightly down, arms still at his sides, his eyes were shut, and he didn't seem to notice she was there. He looked as if he were meditating, and it wasn't until an unfamiliar voice called out, "_ _ **Kylo**_ _?" that he looked up and opened his eyes, light flames briefly overtaking the dark. She couldn't make out the figure that spoke, cloaked in a field of red energy in a strange canine-like form, who himself, if the voice was any indication, was just as surprised as she was._

" _ **This is… Not everyone can concentrate enough to sense or seek out others, especially when they're so new at this**_ _," she heard Kylo's voice echo around her. Is that right, she thought to herself. What, then, was she doing at the moment?_

" _ **Something just felt… different about this place**_ _," the mystery man told him._

" _ **This place,**_ " _Kylo stressed,_ " _ **Is your subconscious mind."**_ _He walked around a bit, contemplating something._ " _ **The possibilities are nearly endless with what you can do here.**_ " _Rey watched a brief exchange between them with confusion, the mystery man watching the space in front of him as if it were a holovid and Kylo with a hand held out towards the mystery man, eyes closed, focusing. When he pulled his hand away and opened his eyes, the mystery man came to a realization._

" _ **A memory,**_ " _he murmured,_ " _ **And everything that would come with it.**_ "

 _Kylo responded,_ " _ **Exactly. Think of the possibilities if you just put your mind to them. These things could apply to so much more if you were willing to trust me with your training.**_ "

" _ **I do trust you. Kylo…**_ " _Rey immediately felt the Force shift around her, two Force signatures converging as the two men reached out to each other. Suddenly, the Force exploded in such a violent manner that she was knocked off her feet with a short scream, hitting the ground hard, painfully, on her back. She sat up quickly, regretting it as her head spun momentarily. Her eyes were drawn to the sight of red waves intertwined with those of light and darkness, the two Force signatures mixing freely together, no longer apart. The mystery man looked unconscious, slowly falling backwards in the timeless plain they were in, eyes closed with a look of pain on his face, arm still outstretched. Kylo looked like he was being blasted back in slow motion, hand still outstretched, a look of shock and pain on his face._

 _As she slowly turned her head towards Kylo, Rey felt as though time were barely crawling by, though it resumed normally when she saw his eyes shift to her and widen in surprise. She heard two separate thuds. The mystery man lay flat on his back, unmoving, but still breathing. Kylo sat up quickly, and Rey stood up hastily as he rounded on her in surprise. He didn't however, become angry at her presence. Instead, he looked almost curious, getting unsteadily to his feet. Shakily, he took a step towards her._

" _ **Rey**_ _," he stated. Not a question, a statement. He took another shaky step towards her, swaying on his feet, eyes becoming glassy as he began to lose consciousness. "_ _ **I'll be waiting**_ _," he told her simply, before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he promptly collapsed._

XxX

Before Kylo could hit the ground, Rey shot up in her bed, gasping for air. A… A vision… Kylo Ren, and another Force user. What did this mean? As she began contemplating what she'd seen, she heard the voice of Luke in her head. ' _Are you alright?_ ' he asked in concern. She shook her head before remembering he wasn't there.

' _I… I need to speak to you,_ ' she responded as she pulled back her bed covers and swapped her bed clothes with more casual attire.

' _The mission briefing room,_ " Luke told her before their connection fell silent. Lightsaber in her possession, she exited her room, the echo of her footsteps harsh in the silence of the night. A sense of dread seemed to fill her with every passing second, for what reason, she didn't know. It wasn't until she saw Luke that the feeling seemed to ebb away, and she could finally take a deep breath.

"Did you see anything?" Luke questioned, worry present on his face.

Rey answered, "Yes. Did you?" Luke shook his head.

"Not much. I caught glimpses, heard snippets of conversation, but nothing too coherent." He sat down heavily in a nearby chair. "Tell me what you saw," he told her.

"I found myself in a strange place. There was nothing but darkness all around me, like staring into a moonless night, but I could see myself and the others perfectly fine."

"Others?"

"Kylo Ren," she answered, "And… Another person, another Force user. I didn't catch his name or see his face, but Kylo spoke of training him."

"I feared as much," Luke whispered. "I've suspected there was another Force user ever since we returned from Lothal." Rey, fixed him with a surprised look.

"What do you mean?" He sighed, staring off to the side.

"The reason we returned here in such a hurry was because I felt a shift in the Force centered around Leia. She couldn't have been the cause because of her lack of training and lack of use of the Force. She even told me that she had two visitors while we were away, and I'm betting one of them was our new Force user."

"Then the other must have been Kylo Ren." This made Luke pause. "You just said someone untrained couldn't have been the source of the shift, and Kylo wouldn't be foolish enough to come here without serious backup. The second person wouldn't have been an officer or stormtrooper. It must have been the other man, meaning Kylo was the source of the shift." Luke sighed again.

"I have a feeling that you may be right… I'll have to bring this up with Leia." Rey seemed nervous at that, several scenarios running through her head of what could've gone down during their absence.

"When?" He gave her an unreadable look.

"Soon, or I fear that we may be too late to stop something dreadful from happening." Rey nodded, turning to leave before remembering the last part of the vision.

"There was something else," she added, catching his attention once more. "Near the end of the vision, it seemed as if the two had… bonded."

"A Force-bond," Luke whispered to himself incredulously. This… was unexpected. A bond between master and student formed over time, and never before training began, meaning **this** bond they were discussing was of a more… emotional nature. Well. His nephew was still full of surprises.

"And right before I woke up, Kylo saw me-"

"He saw you?" This troubled him. She nodded.

"He didn't seemed surprised to see me. He… He told me he would be waiting for me." Troubling indeed. In truth, Rey was frightened of that. Not of Kylo, no, but of something else. The words seemed to strike fear in her heart, and a sense of foreboding accompanied the thought of their next meeting. Something didn't feel right, and it seemed Luke could sense her distress.

"Hey," he told her softly. She met his kind, comforting gaze. "Don't worry about it now. Trying to prevent a future will only aid in it coming true. Trust me, I know. I will meditate on it later. For now, try to get some more sleep."

"I'll try." As she left the room, Luke too felt a sense of foreboding. The next meeting those two would have would not be pleasant. Meditation was definitely in order, and perhaps he should keep a closer eye on his student. The Force had been more turbulent than usual as of late, and he couldn't help wondering whether Rey could be a part of the cause.

XxX

Hux stood on the bridge in his usual spot near the end of his shift. They were currently in hyperspace, on their way to the new planet that would become Strakiller II, after a quick stop to refuel and visit two certain someones. The planet was smaller in size than the previous base, allowing for better maneuverability and shorter target lock-on time. Its surface was more habitable and more tolerable temperatures (normally cool, occasionally warm, never extremely one way or the other) would make it much easier to work with. Formerly industrialized, it was crawling with abandoned factories, cities, and the like, sprawling forests and woodlands present in surrounding areas. Newer scans showed small lifeforms and animals harmless unless in large groups.

He heard his datapad chime as his shift ended, walking off the bridge and to his quarters as he opened the new message. It was from the _Victory's_ Commander Shepard, who was fairly neutral in the First Order's current affairs and had no real reason to contact him. She was only a few years older than him, but had seen her fair share in this war and was wise beyond her years, much like Commander Tsulant.

 _General,_

 _I'd like to apologize for my fellow commanders' behavior. While I am not without my doubts, as many of us are, I do not and have not wished to see any harm come to you, Lord Ren, or your crew. I hope that last meeting hasn't shattered our uneasy alliance, but if it has, I hope there is a way to one day rebuild it. I wish you all the best with Starkiller II._

 _Until the next meeting,_

 _Commander Sylvia Shepard_

 _The Victory_

Hux sighed. While he felt no ill will towards the _Challenger, Phoenix,_ or _Constellation_ , he still wasn't sure who to trust, save his brother, and would not easily look past the, rather poor, attempt on his life. He typed out a response, reassuring her that he in no way thought of her as an enemy, but gave no answer regarding the status of their alliance. After sending his response, he found himself outside the door to his quarters. Keying in his code, he walked into the sight of Kylo making himself at home on his bed, stretched out comfortably, one leg bent and hand palm up, levitating a familiar object.

"What **are** you doing in my quarters, Kylo?" Hux had 'troopers to visit down in the medbay, a few holocalls to make, a stack of paperwork to fill out, and crew transfer requests to look over, not to mention triple checking **everything** for Starkiller II. "I have too many things to do for you to make a social visit."

"We need to talk," Kylo responded, turning his head to look at Hux, who had taken a seat at his desk. He watched Hux's eyes travel to the object he was currently levitating, pulling it into his grasp with the Force.

"If it's about this," Hux began, holding up the lightsaber, "Then I suggest you-"

"That's not the reason I came here, but we do need to speak about it." Kylo sat up, raising an eyebrow as Hux Force-pushed his feet off the bed. "Our bond is open again, and you said to give you time to wrap your head around it." He wore an unsure expression. "Have you?" Hux eyed him thoughtfully.

"Not that it was my top priority, but yes." He paused, and Kylo gave him a look as if to say, "And?…" He continued. "I distanced myself because it unsettled me. To be able to understand another on such a level, and to have the other do the same… It took me thirty years to find two true friends I could trust. **We** went from friends to… bonded… in a matter of **minutes**. I had no idea what to think, but I knew that I would've acted unpredictably, so I made sure you wouldn't be on the receiving end of any irrational actions… I didn't wish to do or say anything I would later regret."

"If this is your idea of an apology, you can stop now. I'm not upset Hux. I just… wish you would've told me this then. All you told me was that you needed space and time. I assumed…" He let the sentence hang in the air between them, unfinished, looking away in guilt. An uncomfortable silence settled between them for a time until Hux spoke up softly.

"I want to know more." This caught Kylo's attention, drawing his gaze back to Hux. "If we are indeed stuck with each other now, I'd like to know as much as possible about this… Force-bond between us." Kylo's entire demeanor changed from tense to completely relaxed at the statement, a shy smile lighting up his face. It looked as if the weight of the galaxy had just been removed from his shoulders.

"I- That's excellent. That's- We'll have to do a bit of meditating, of course, like we did before, and get used to it over time, but I'll tell you everything I know." Hux couldn't help returning a brief shy smile of his own at Kylo's enthusiasm.

"And what were you doing with this?" Hux inquired, gesturing to his lightsaber with a tilt of his head.

"You have no formal training in the ways of lightsaber combat. The Force gifted you its crystal and saber parts for a reason." Hux nodded, but gave him a curious look when he said, "I've also noticed some curious things about it."

"Such as?"

"The three switches, for one." Hux looked down at the three small red buttons on his saber's hilt. "At first I thought the extra two might serve as traps for anyone who didn't know the correct button, but now I'm not so sure." He stared at the saber for a moment. "Ignite it." He watched Hux press the topmost switch, the white and golden laser flickering strongly at his side. "Alright." He watched Hux deactivate it. "Now the bottom switch." Hux, perplexed, gave Kylo a look, before complying, surprised when a the saber ignited on its bottom half.

"What in the galaxy?"

"A duel blade! Interesting." Hux deactivated the saber before standing and putting space between them. He held the saber out and pressed the center switch, watching both sides of the saber ignite at the same time. He stared blankly before a low chuckle escaped him.

"Interesting indeed," he agreed. He would have fun with this.

"I've never seen one in person before. The leader of the Knights of Ren before me was said to wield one, or so I've heard, but no one's ever confirmed that for me… It takes great skill to master such a weapon, skill I don't possess. I will train you in regular combat as best I can, however, and we can worry about the dual blade aspect later."

"And just when will I have time for this training of yours?" Hux demanded to know. "In case you've forgotten, Kylo, I run a ship and Starkiller II is mere days away from construction. I don't see-"

"Just as when you found time to build your saber, you can find time to learn how to use it."

"You sound confident about that," Hux commented.

Smugly, Kylo replied, "I am."

This is how Hux found himself standing across from Kylo on one of the lower decks, saber ignited in hand. Kylo too had his lightsaber out, and was fiddling with a strange, spherical object. It seemed to be a droid of some kind, but Hux couldn't be sure.

"It's a training droid," Kylo answered. "Most younglings and beginners used them to learn how to trust in the Force while under fire and deflect blaster bolts, a skill needed during the time because of the Clone Wars."

"And you still use such ancient technology?" Kylo let out a frustrated grunt at the droid, deactivating his saber and reclipping it to his belt as he pulled off part of its metal covering and examined some of the internal wiring. Sticking his hand out, a pair of tweezers flew into his hand.

"Ancient as it may be, it's much safer than me actually shooting at you with a blaster. The lasers the droids fire merely sting, while a well placed blaster shot could send you to the medbay. Aha!" He made a triumphant sound as the droid came to life, replacing the metal covering and letting it go, watching it hover a few feet away. "Besides, I've made a few adjustments. Alright then." Lifting a hand to it, he said, "Training mode, level one." It beeped and he backed away, giving it and Hux space. Setting the tweezers down, he gestured for Hux to step closer. Hux took a few steps towards the droid and raised his saber in a defensive position. He watched the droid carefully, looking for any signs of attack. As it shot a laser at him, he quickly blocked, and Kylo shook his head. "Stop."

"What?" Hux questioned, looking to Kylo as the droid beeped in response to the command.

"You're trying to block on instinct, and while it's good that you can, that's not the point of this exercise. You're supposed to let the Force flow through you, allow it to help guide your saber to deflect the bolts. A true user of the Force would be able to master this exercise's hardest difficulty… blind." Hux scoffed.

"Well, Mr. _True Force User_ , care to demonstrate?" Hux frowned when Kylo replaced his serious stare with something a bit more smug.

"Gladly." Pully a blindfold out of a pocket of his robes- Why did he even have one? Had he planned this?- Kylo tied it securely around his face, covering his eyes completely. Drawing his lightsaber into his hand, he took up a battle stance. Before he gave commands to the droid for the exercise to begin, he raised his arm, and Hux was surprised to see two more droids join them. "I suggest you step back." Hux moved to a far side of the room, and Kylo's face was once again serious as he commanded, "Maximum difficulty." At once, all three droids came to life, making affirmative beeping sounds, circling Kylo like a predator circles its prey. Constantly on the move, they fired rapidly, Hux having to squint through the blurred wall of bluish-white light that was lasers bombarding Kylo. He saw why Kylo had asked him to put space between them.

Lasers flew every which way, leaving weak, temporary scorch marks on the walls. Within the wall of blue and white was an effortlessly gliding red blur protecting the mass of black cloth that was Kylo. Suddenly, he saw the red flicker out for a moment, though it may have been his eyes playing tricks on him, and he watched every laser freeze in midair before the lightsaber crackled back to life, slicing through each droid in one long sweep. Their remains clattered noisily to the ground and Kylo, breathing heavily, pulled the blindfold off, deactivating his lightsaber and looking at it worriedly. Raising his hand, another droid, from out of nowhere, flew out towards him. Hux stared, astonished. "Now, it's your turn," he said distractedly. Hux walked back over to him, determined to not be outdone. He would show Kylo he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Training mode, level one."

XxX

It's few days after that Kylo does something unexpected, something questionable. The two of them are once again on a lower deck, but Kylo doesn't summon a training droid. No, instead, he asks Hux to face him in a lightsaber duel.

"Do you remember at the citadel when you defeated me?" Hux smirked and made an confirming noise. "You showed such potential. I figure we can put your skills to the test, but this time, try not to kill me, hmm?"

"I told you, I-"

"Fine. Allow me to rephrase that. Don't let the fox take over." Hux huffed, but drew his saber into his hand, igniting it.

"Perhaps I won't need to." Kylo scoffed, activating his crossguard saber, which seemed to flicker even more erratically than before. It **had** begun feeling strange after the construction of his new one, but it was only this week that it seemed to almost… **rebel** against him. The demonstration with the training droids had him worried. The crystal had failed and, upon further examination later, cracked just a hair more. The saber was still functioning, but becoming more unstable by the day. However, something in the back of his mind continued to tell him that the time wasn't right to test his new saber. Soon, but not yet.

"Your overconfidence will be your undoing."

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" They began circling each other, sabers at the ready.

"Perhaps." He eyed Hux carefully. "Once I gauge your skill from this duel, I'll be able to tell what sort of form you fight with, what sorts of combat you'll be accustomed to, defensive, offensive, a mix."

"And then?" They lunged at each other at the same time, sabers clashing in a mess of red and white.

"And then," Kylo replied, shoving them apart and preparing his next attack, "The true training begins."

XxX

Rey didn't know what to do. She sat with her head in her hands, Luke and Chewie at the front of the Falcon, BB-8 conversing animatedly with R2-D2. ' _I'll be waiting,_ ' Kylo had told her. Waiting… for what? Ten days and the sense of foreboding since the vision had done nothing but grow. Even the mission she was currently on, intercepting a so called "Knight of Ren" if she heard right, couldn't distract her from the thoughts that had been gnawing at her conscience as of late. She didn't know how she was able to see parts of visions that weren't even hers, and that scared her. It scared her because it meant that there were definitely things she didn't know, things involving Kylo Ren and her connection to the Force. She wanted to heed Luke's advice and just push it all to the back of her mind, but she just couldn't. She needed to know more. She needed to know straight from the source. What she planned to try was risky, and there was a chance it wouldn't work, or that she would come to regret it later, but she **had** to try.

Making sure the door to the small room was closed and that she was perfectly alone at the moment, she reached out through the Force, searching for his presence. He would probably be on his ship, doing whatever it is a Dark Side Force wielding madman would do, so she'd search there. Sure enough, though far away from their location in hyperspace, she could feel Kylo's Force signature. He was alone, thankfully, and, steeling herself, she gently reached out to him.

Kylo had finished an exhausting night against Hux. It had only been a week, but Hux was turning out to be a natural at this, his form and technique improving with every round they went. He had retired to his quarters, having emerged from a relaxing hot shower, when he felt something, no, **someone** , reach out to him through the Force. The signature wasn't Hux or Snoke. He knew their's like he knew his own. No, this signature radiated Light, and a growing hint of Dark. Could it be…? Warily, he reached out in return as he fumbled around for a clean shirt, looking up when he finally found one. He'd recognize that cabin/room anywhere, having spent ample amount of time in it in his youth. Aboard the Millennium Falcon, contacting him through the Force, was Rey. Observing her, she looked a bit shaken, and surprised, at what he didn't know.

"Rey," he said simply. She shook off her surprise when she heard him speak. "I'm impressed you managed to reach me. Are you alone?" He tried to seem nonchalant as he pulled his shirt on over his head and took a seat on the edge of his bed. He finally met her gaze as she answered him.

"Not entirely, no, but we shouldn't be disturbed." She was playing a dangerous game. He imagined she was with Luke, Chewbacca at least if not. He narrowed his eyes.

"How are you doing this?" He gestured between them. "Even some of the more powerful Force users would have a hard time communicating like this to others."

"Why are you having visions?" Rey answered with a question. Kylo's eyes went wide. The disturbances would be felt, of course, but how did she know- "I've seen them, seen the both of us in them, first in battle and then… The most recent one…" Most recent one? The meditation with Hux? "You were with someone, and a lot of things happened, but just before the end of it, you told me you would be waiting." He now wore a look of confusion.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He truly didn't. Kylo couldn't remember anything past he and Hux's conversation. They'd reached out to each other and then… nothing. His mind was fuzzy afterwards… Fuzzy… but not blank! "Show me," he told her. Seeing her perplexed face, he added, "You said you heard that conversation. Surely you remember what I did." Nodding, she closed her eyes and concentrated, directing her memory towards him. Kylo startled when he recognized Hux's mindscape. Rey hadn't been lying; flashes of images ran through his mind, the memory resuming as time seemed to barely crawl by. He and Hux were being blasted back by the Force, Rey somewhere on the ground. He could feel her astonishment as she took in the sight before her, before feeling her sense of surprise as his past self looked to her. He looked on the verge of unconsciousness. As he hit the ground, he felt some of Rey's fear and a feeling of being trapped as she scrambled to her feet. He got to his feet taking a shaky step towards her, determined, curious.

" _ **Rey,**_ " he heard himself say, addressing her past self. Another shaky step. " _ **I'll be waiting.**_ " Before his body hit the ground, the memory ended, and he gasped as he suddenly felt his own memory surfacing in his mind.

"What did you mean by that?" she asked him, needing an answer to one of her biggest worries.

"I-" He didn't know how to answer. He knew what happened to those who tried to prevent visions; their efforts only ensured that the visions would come true. Despite his previous desire to turn Rey to the Dark Side, against Luke and the Resistance… he wasn't so sure. If anything, he didn't need any more competition (at least, that's what he told himself, anyway) or threats to his status and/or power. Truly, however, he wasn't sure where he stood. The past few months had… changed him. Ever since the return from Starkiller, he'd clung more and more to the Light, and it terrified him. This internal conflict terrified him. He didn't know what path he was on anymore, but one thing he was absolutely sure of was that being consumed by the Dark Side was no longer an option. Now that he knew what he knew, he couldn't let himself go down that road, and, for some reason, he didn't want Rey to go down that road either. "For our battle," he decided on, a fairly neutral answer in his opinion. "I'll be waiting for you at our battle."

"That's it? That's what you meant? That's all there was to that?" Kylo nodded, confused by her tone. "Tell me the truth."

"That is the truth-"

"But there's something more! I know there is." She looked away suddenly, a somber look settling on her face. "The battle, it felt… different. **We** felt different; **I** felt different." She met his eyes again. "What aren't you telling me?"

"You-" He stopped himself, unsure. "I can't." Her response sounded desperate.

"Why? I want to understand. I just…" She let out a shaky breath, staring down at her hands. It seems she had never really made her intentions known,between her training and missions, it hadn't really become clear to her what she truly desired. Yes, she wished to become stronger than Kylo, but not for the sake of being the strongest. She… "I want to save you, Ben," she whispered, much to Kylo's shock. He was silent for a moment, feelings mixed on her answer, partially ruled by anger at her audacity to call him by his true name.

"I don't **need** to be _saved_ , least of all by you. If anything, **you're** the one who needs saving." It was in that moment that the little confidence she'd conjured up for this conversation came crashing down, a realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. The vision.

 _Kylo stared at her with laser focus as they broke apart from a deadlock. He told her, "You've gotten stronger, but not strong enough." A huge surge of power swept through her being as she glared Kylo down, shoving him back with the Force._

" _We'll see about that!" As she ran at him, he examined her face closely, and gasped in disbelief and, strangely, fear, but not for himself, for_ _ **her**_ _._

"No," she whispered to herself. It couldn't be. She couldn't. Her hands began to shake and her vision blurred as tears of denial and horror welled behind her eyes. " _No_ ," she cried softly. Kylo seemed to realize what had happened. He stood, and, without thinking, took her hand, kneeling by her side. She startled, looking up at him frantically.

"Rey, listen to me, that won't happen. I'm not going to **let** that happen." He was determined and concerned, and she relaxed minutely when she saw this.

"How can you be so sure?" He wasn't sure where his sudden confidence was coming from, but something was guiding him, and he would bet…

"Because it's the Will of the Force," he told her gently. Before she could respond, despite her shaken state, the sound of two different voices broke the strange atmosphere between them. Neither of them had heard doors open. Both voices were outraged.

"Rey!"

"Kylo?!" The two looked towards the voices in alarm. Luke stared at Rey from her doorway, wide eyed and taken aback. Hux glared over Kylo's shoulder at Rey before his eyes settled over their joined hands. Out of nowhere, jealousy flared within his entire being with a hint of anger. In unison, Luke and Hux reached out towards the Force projected image of their adversaries. When their hands lowered, Rey whirled around to find the other side of the room staring back at her, Kylo nowhere to be seen.

"No!" she exclaimed. She still needed answers! Luke leveled her with an unreadable look, a mix of, predominantly, anger, but also of curiosity, disappointment, and fear.

"Just what exactly were you doing?" Hux demanded to know, and Kylo quickly looked back to see the rest of his quarters where Rey was moments ago.

"I-" He gulped, not able to meet Hux's quickly intensifying and piercing glare. He'd done the one thing he'd **not** wanted to do, and that was to alert Rey that she was falling to the Dark Side. He would not let history repeat itself, but at this point… Would he be able to stop that?

Closing A/N: I've been meaning to write a scene like that between Rey and Kylo. I may or may not be poking fun at a few TLJ scenes here. :) Anyway, next chapter will probably be filler-ish, and contain two or three Hux siblings. After that, who knows? I sure don't. I'm too busy writing an English paper to think that far ahead at the moment, so I will see y'all next chapter.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen: Answers and Repercussions

A/N: I've been gone. A while. I know, I'm horrible, but senior year is a stressful year, let me just tell you. Scholarship applications, dual credit english essays, freaking AP CALCULUS BC, sports, music, and now theatre. It's been quite an eventful almost year. But I have returned with another chapter, so I guess the promised filler will have to wait. I said I'd have this up before the year was over, so it's a bit rushed, and everyone seems out of character (at least to me; it's been a WHILE) but I wasn't about to break my promise. Also, I'm out of chapter outlines to fiddle with, so… But anyway, have a late Christmas/holiday present from me!

Kylo refused to meet Hux's eye as panic and frustration raged within him. How could he be so stupid? He should have never answered her. He should have gone about his night like usual. How were they connected? Why was the Force continually making their paths cross? He sat down, head in his hands, head spinning from all of the questions he had no way of getting answers to.

"What in the galaxy was going on in here? I was retiring for the night when I felt another Force signature upon the ship, one I wasn't familiar with, and who does it happen to be? The scavenger girl, _Rey_. Care to explain, Kylo?" Hux wasn't sure what he'd just intruded upon, but he knew he needed answers, and they'd better be good because he would **not** accept any excuses about why the two of them had been kriffing _**holding hands.**_ Kylo was silent for several moments, mind working a mile a minute, having trouble organizing his thoughts. "Well?" Hux snapped.

"Do you remember, in my vision, when I told you about my next encounter with Rey on Starkiller II?" Kylo asked after a moment.

"The part where you say she potentially turns to the Dark side? Yes, but how is that relevant here?"

"Any time a person attempts to prevent a vision from happening, it **always** comes true. I didn't want her to know what the vision meant, and now that she does…" The sentence lingered in the air for a moment.

"She'll end up going down that path no matter what," Hux finished for him. Kylo could only nod as Hux sighed and shook his head, taking a seat beside him. "Show me?" he asked. Kylo looked to him in confusion, but nodded, holding out a hand towards him and concentrating. Hux sucked in a quick breath as his vision went hazy for a moment, clearing to reveal what must be Starkiller II at sunset.

 _He stood across from Rey, whose fury was evident in her expression, if not then in the humming of the air around her that set his nerves on edge. She marched towards him before charging the rest of the way, and his saber easily came up to block the initial blow. She set a rapid pace when they broke apart, heavy blow after heavy blow surprising him, putting him on the defensive. It wasn't until she misstepped that he regained the upper hand. As he began a more tactical approach, precise strikes completely throwing her off. She seemed surprised at his change in fighting style, clearing expecting the same erratic, powerful swings from their last duel._

 _Rey, to her credit, and to his surprise, kept up with him well, somehow finding a way to turn the tables on him, forcing him to switch tactics more than once. Images quickly blurred and the duel seemed to suddenly reach its end, as if someone had just skipped a scene in a holo-movie. Rey's fatigue caught up with her, and she found herself once again seemingly beaten, Kylo bearing down on her. He felt no satisfaction in her defeat, however, only worry and despair. The thought of, "How could I let this happen?" flitted through his mind before leaving as quickly as it came._

" _You've gotten stronger," Kylo told her, "But not strong enough."_

" _We'll see about that!" Rey bellowed as they broke apart. He felt himself flung backwards through the air with the Force, and he barely landed on his feet as he reacted. He looked into her eyes to see a familiar golden hue, and pure terror had him frozen on the spot. The realization of what was happening crashed down on him; failure, fear, regret, and resignment were the most apparent feelings swirling within him at the moment. As he watched her head straight for him, he only hoped Hux would make it back to the Finalizer alright, previous plans be damned. He watched the blue saber in her hands arc down harshly towards him, preparing himself for the final blow, feeling the heat of the laser mere inches from his face-_

Hux gasped back to reality as the vision cut, breathing heavily as imprints of future Kylo's terror continued to assault him, slowly fading. Kylo himself was shaking, not fully prepared for the second viewing, hand that was previously extended now unconsciously clutching one of Hux's. Hux squeezed Kylo's hand in comfort, and Kylo only then realized what he was doing, embarrassment mixing with his fear. Hux sent as much reassurance as he could at the moment through their bond, along with a flicker of amusement. He watched as Kylo relaxed minutely, but bowed his head in grief.

"I can't save her, Hux, and I… I don't know what to do," he whispered brokenly. Hux sighed, a soft expression on his face.

"Hey," he whispered, gently tipping Kylo's chin up, to both their surprises, meeting his eyes. "You'll find a way; you always do. And you had better believe that I will be by your side through all of it. She's not lost yet, Kylo, not if we have anything to say about it." Kylo let out a soft laugh, slowing pulling Hux into his arms.

"Thank you," he told him. Hux reciprocated the embrace, humming contently in response.

XxX

"What were you doing talking with him, Rey? He's a danger to us all!" Luke exclaimed. He knelt down beside her as tears began falling down her face. She choked down a sob as she answered.

"I needed to know. What the vision meant. I-I… I think that, deep down, I knew what the answer was. I just didn't want to admit to myself that I'm beyond saving." Luke's harsh tone softened, as did his voice.

" …No one is beyond saving, Rey." She looked to him, not believing his words. "I don't know what you saw or why you saw it, but I know that there is **so much** good in you that the Dark Side wouldn't stand a chance, not for very long, at least."

"I'm scared," she admitted. "I don't know what to do."

"There's not much we can do, but the future is still uncertain. Rest for now, and put it out of your mind." She nodded tiredly, wiping a tear from her eye.

"I will try," she responded. She arranged herself comfortably on the cabin bed in her room as Luke turned to leave. Their eyes met as he stopped in the doorway to give her a reassuring smile, and she saw his haunted gaze. He seemed to be remembering something nightmarish, but before she could ask if he was alright the door closed, and she was left alone with her thoughts.

XxX

Kylo let out a breathless laugh as his back collided with a wall, Hux with his saber to his throat, looking very proud of himself indeed. "Excellent! You're such a fast learner," Kylo told him with a bit of pride as they both deactivated their sabers, taking a well deserved break from yet another successful training session. In the weeks since Kylo's conversation with Rey, things had been looking up for them. The Knights of Ren had been doing a lot of work, unbeknownst to Hux, and the First Order's finances had recovered quite nicely. Starkiller II's progress was ahead of schedule, leaving Hux and much of the crew with more free time than they thought they'd have. Kylo and Hux had plenty of time to train and had gotten a lot done.

Hux's usual combat style was precise and elegant, his footwork a sight to behold, and he often used Kylo's wide swinging, aggressive style against him, striking when there was an opening in his defenses. He could easily dodge and parry blows, and while it wasn't the most offensive style, it proved to be the one he was most comfortable with. Not only that, but it allowed him time to observe his opponent and anticipate their movements.

Kylo's combat style was very much the opposite of Hux's. Having received little training in any actual form from Luke or Snoke, his attacks were often aggressive, wild, and a bit all over the place. It had gotten less so since his last training period with Snoke; he was quite a bit lighter on his feet, and though his attacks were still aggressive, he had figured out how to combine that with his defense to create powerful counterattack opportunities and ways to turn the tide of battle in his favor.

Kylo often overpowered Hux to gain an advantage in their duels, but Hux's quick thinking usually brought the advantage back to him. He was not afraid to use the occasional Force move to even the odds, nor was he against switching to a more aggressive fighting style, mirroring Kylo's intensity to throw the Dark Jedi off before outmaneuvering him and his weakened defenses.

That day's duel had been a close back and forth between the two, with Kylo's aggressive, energy consuming offense eventually being his downfall. Tired, winded, and running out of ideas, he'd made the fatal mistake of lunging at a more than prepared Hux, who not only sidestepped and deflected his attack, but managed to use his own momentum against him. Kylo found himself barely holding onto his blade when Hux's saber came to rest against his throat, yet he couldn't care less that he'd lost.

"Well, I have a halfway competent teacher," Hux replied smugly. Kylo scoffed and rolled his eyes with a smirk of his own.

"My only wish is that I could train with you using other forms, perhaps something more defensive or acrobatic and Force oriented. Unfortunately, my uncle is probably the only Force-user still alive who fights that way."

"Then perhaps he'll prove a challenge should you and I ever cross paths with him." The two made their way back up into the ship, Hux intent on showering before taking up his position on the bridge while Kylo was very much looking forward to a meal and a nap. Neither, however, would be getting their wish at the moment as Mitaka made his way hurriedly towards them. Hux stopped with a sigh while Kylo looked very much like he was going to Force choke someone soon. "Dopheld," Hux addressed him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, general, Lord Ren, but there's been another citing of the Jedi. And… General, I think you'll want to see where." Hux and Kylo exchanged a look before following Mitaka.

XxX

"Luke, you can't be serious!" Rey exclaimed as the Jedi strode determinedly towards a ship. It had been a few weeks since that night, Rey throwing herself into training reluctant Luke every day. They had been in the middle of a duel, Rey with the upper hand, when he ended their training session, seeming to come to a realization and needing to address it as quickly as possible. As soon as he'd told her he was leaving for some stormy weather planet in the outer rim, refusing to tell her why, she had followed him to the outside of the base, Finn and Poe not far behind her. "What's so important that you can't tell anyone—

"We need answers, about Ben and your vision. I'm seeking out the answers the only other way I know how."

"What about all of your preaching about putting it out of my mind and trying not to change the future?" Rey demanded to know. "What happened to trusting in the Force to guide me down the right—

"The Force is flawed and unpredictable," Luke suddenly interrupted her, face dark. "Using it for the wrong reasons, even if you do so with good intentions, leads to nothing but suffering. It doesn't have all the answers and it never has. I've put my faith in it one too many times, and look how **that** turned out. Young Jedi in training massacred, a powerful Dark Side user turning one of the most powerful Force sensitives of this generation against his family, and **I'm** the one who's left to fix this mess! Again!" Rey stopped at his sudden outburst, looking at Luke as if never truly seeing him before. He sighed, looking away.

"So what are you saying?" she asked him quietly. He let out another sigh.

"I've seen good, talented, brave men fall to the Dark Side because they thought their future was set in stone, because they thought the world needed fixing, because they thought they were doing the right thing… And no matter how hard I tried, to help them see reason, help them realize their mistakes, I've only ever made things worse, whether it be out of fear or recklessness… I don't want the same fate to befall you because I didn't try to help you find answers…" He finished, voice barely above a whisper, defeated. He finally met Rey's eyes, and she saw the determination and uncertainty in his eyes. "We need answers Rey, and it's time I got them straight from the source." She nodded, an unreadable look on her face.

"Then be careful," she told him worriedly. Without another word she watched him go, his ship disappearing into the distance.

"What did he mean, when he said he'd put his faith in the Force one too many times?" Poe asked. Rey didn't respond, eyes still staring at where she saw Luke's ship last, not until she felt Finn take her hand and squeeze it comfortingly. She turned to Poe with an unknown look in her eyes.

"He's…" A look of realization came across her face. "He's cut himself off from the Force; I don't know why I didn't see it before!" Poe and Finn gave her matching looks of confusion at that statement. "He still feels when the balance of Dark and Light shift. He's Luke Skywalker, so how could he not? But using it, allowing it to flow through him? He could hardly meditate when last I saw him try, and during my training, he hardly demonstrated any Force abilities. When he did… He always looked as if he was committing some unspeakable crime…" She felt herself shaking, with what she didn't know. "Has he lost so much faith that he's willing to throw away such an essential part of himself?!"

"Rey?" Finn asked in concern as she seemed to lose her temper. She looked to him apologetically before continuing to explain, voice calmer.

"He's hasn't cut himself off completely, but it would explain why he didn't know anything about what had gone on in the galaxy since he'd been missing, or why he couldn't make out anything in the visions."

"Visions? Visions like you going Dark Side visions?" Poe questioned. Rey nodded. "So he's basically been ignoring the very thing that makes him a Jedi for the last… However many years he's been in hiding?" She nodded again. "What's he figure that'll do?"

"I don't know," she told him, though that statement might not have been entirely true. The way Luke had just spoken, coming clean about his experiences and mistakes? He was afraid, truly of what she wasn't entirely sure, but he was, and it had driven him away from the Force.

And now he was going to confront Kylo.

XxX

Kylo and Hux stared disbelievingly at the footage of an older model X-wing landing under a thicket of trees, shielding it from the pouring rain, on the surface of a planet the general was all too familiar with. Mitaka and Phasma watched their reactions warily, fully expecting one, if not both, of them to break the holo-projector. "He just arrived a few minutes ago," Mitaka told them nervously. "He hasn't done anything but exit the fighter and fall into that strange trance." Hux and Kylo observed said trance with suspicion before they both realized just what he was doing.

"That's not a trance," Hux informed him. It was then that Kylo heard a voice in his head, distant yet firm, one he hadn't heard in over a decade.

' _Ben.'_ Kylo sucked in a surprised breath, a hand to his head, struggling to uphold such a far away connection. The other three looked to him in concern, but he waved them off as he tried to focus. ' _By now your men will have already sighted me. We need to talk, alone. You know where I'll be waiting.'_ As soon as it had been established the connection ended, and Kylo let out a harsh breath as the pain that had slowly started in his head receded. In the holo-projection Luke came out of his trance, and stared straight at the source of the footage. With a wave of his hand, the projector went blank. There was a silence in the room for a moment until Kylo spoke up, shaken.

"He… He wants to talk… With me… Alone." Hux shot that idea down immediately.

"You're not going without me," Hux declared, unmoving in his decision.

"Armi," Phasma began, trying to dissuade him.

"I'll not leave you to face him alone. Never again," he told Kylo, ignoring Phasma's attempt to change his mind. He felt a rush of gratitude through their bond and he sent comforting reassurance back. "And besides, it's time I face a part of my past as well…" he added quietly. How could he not when they were going to Arkanis?

"Let's go change. After that, we should leave," Kylo addressed Hux, who nodded. He was following Kylo out of the room when Phasma and Mitaka caught his shoulders, holding him back for a moment.

"Armi, are you sure about this?" Phasma asked, concerned for her friend.

"No one's making you go," Mitaka reminded him.

"I know, but I **want** to be there for him. I **have** to be. I couldn't bare the thought of him having to face such an important figure from his past without someone by his side, supporting him. He would do the same for me. And… I have a feeling that hosting the meeting on Arkanis was deliberate."

"You think he wants you to be there?" Mitaka asked.

"Why choose Arkanis in particular or encourage Kylo to come alone unless he **knew** I would insist on coming? He must know I'm Force-sensitive. How he knows I haven't the slightest idea, but he wants both Kylo and myself in the same place."

"Why?" Hux looked to Phasma uncertainly.

"I don't know, and I don't like it." He sighed. The more they discussed it, the less he liked the idea of this meeting. With one last worried look he left the room, the trip back to his quarters filling him with an unshakable sense of unease. Dressed and ready to go, he arrived in the hangar bay to find Kylo waiting by his personal shuttle. The two of them entered it and made the trip in silence, both consumed in their thoughts, trying to understand Luke's motives. It wasn't until they were within the planet's atmosphere that they spoke to one another, both not quite confident about their decision to make the trip.

As the ship touched down, Kylo admitted, "I don't know if I'm ready to see him again," averting his eyes as shame and regret bubbled to the surface.

Hux took Kylo's hand gently in his own and assured him with determined eyes, "You are, and this time… You won't be alone." Kylo squeezed his hand softly in thanks, taking a deep breath before lowering the ramp of the ship.

XxX

Luke looked up at the command shuttle landing across the clearing from him, its ramp lowering to reveal Kylo and General Hux, as expected. He couldn't help the slight smile that came to his face knowing his hunch had been correct. He walked out from under the trees shielding him from the planet's usual light drizzle of rain, meeting the two halfway between the ships. The three were surrounded by trees on all sides, hidden from all prying eyes save any from above. His eyes flickered to their joined hands for a moment before focusing back on them.

"I see you decided not to come alone," he addressed them.

"That was never your intention," Hux fired back with absolute certainty.

"And so it wasn't." Luke's eyes fell on Kylo, who, for the first time since that night, met his eyes with something other than anger and hatred. For a moment, Luke could see his young nephew hiding behind the eyes of the now feared Dark Jedi Kylo Ren. "Ben," he addressed his nephew kindly.

"Luke," Kylo greeted back as evenly as he could, though he cursed internally as he heard the shake in his voice. When hunting down Luke and Rey to kill the last Jedi had been his original mission, he expected to meet Luke with hate and bitterness and an uncontainable fury that had built inside him since his academy days. But now… Many things had changed. His view of Snoke, his relationship with Hux, the Force, and himself most of all had changed. He was no longer out for blood or revenge or whatever sick and twisted reason he'd gotten into his head under the tutelage of Snoke. No. Now he felt every feeling he'd been forced to repress and lock deep within himself that night and every day and night that followed. Hux couldn't help the sharp breath he sucked in at the sheer emotion radiating from Kylo, insisting that the water running down his face from his eyes was from the rain and not the sheer heart wrenching _**agony**_ that Kylo was feeling. With all the confidence he had left and everything he was feeling inside reflected in his eyes, he said to Luke the two words he'd never thought he'd say: "I'm sorry."

Luke's gaze softened at his nephew's words and emotions palpable in the Force. "I know," he whispered gently, and a weight seemed to be lifted from Kylo's shoulders at those words. "But that's not why I asked you to be here."

"Then why are we here?" Kylo questioned,trying to collect his thoughts.

"I need answers," Luke stated simply, "And you're the only two who can give them to me."

"And why would we do that?" Hux asked.

"To help Rey," Kylo answered suddenly, turning to look at him. "That night, she needed answers from me, about the vision, about her future, about a great deal many things. I didn't get the chance to tell her them, and it's been eating away at her ever since." He looked to Luke now. "Is that right?"

"Yes…" Luke responded, "And I have questions of my own." Kylo met Hux's eyes, searching for a sign. Hux looked back with reassurement.

' _Go ahead,'_ Kylo heard in his head. ' _I trust your judgement.'_

With a nod, he told Luke, "Ask away." It was clear Luke wasn't expecting him to agree so easily, but he quickly recovered from his shock.

"Why were you talking to Rey that night?"

"She reached out to me. She wanted to understand what the part of my vision that she saw meant. She had her suspicions before and I… Confirmed them, though that wasn't my intention. She believed that she would turn to the Dark Side the next time we faced each other in battle. I tried to assure her that I wouldn't let that happen." Luke absorbed the information for a moment, finding that it matched up with what Rey had told him.

"And your vision? Does it end there?" Kylo gulped inaudibly, meeting Hux's eye at the question.

"No. It… It ends with myself, Hux, and Snoke… And Force lightning." Luke shuddered as his memory of the Emperor resurfaced briefly.

"And Snoke?" Luke asked, hopeful of Kylo's answer, "Are you still loyal to him?"

"I haven't been in quite a while," Kylo responded automatically. "We plan to end his tyranny."

"How?"

"Starkiller II," was the reply. Hux's eyes went wide as he processed what Kylo had just said.

"You want to target the citadel?"

"It's safer than facing him in combat and a guaranteed victory."

" **If** he's planetside," Hux pointed out.

"Which he will be," Kylo assured him.

"And if I don't trust you? If I think you're bluffing, and you'll choose to target the Resistance's base instead? What then?"

"We don't expect you to trust us, but we do want you to know that our two side have a common enemy now. You can consider Kylo, myself, and any officers and troops under our command as allies, as we've already told General Organa. When the time comes, we'll call for a ceasefire of all of our troops. You can interpret that information as you wish," Hux replied. Luke observed Hux, his expression, his demeanor, his body language, his Force signature. He didn't quite know what to make of him, but as he saw the looks Kylo gave him out of the corner of his eye, something told him there was more to the man than he'd initially thought, though he couldn't quite tell if that was reassuring or not.

"One last question," he told them before turning his attention fully to Kylo, drilling him with an intense stare. "Why do you want to save Rey?" Kylo took a deep breath before answering.

"I've been down the path that she's on her way to taking. I know what it does to a person, how it completely changes them, turns them into something unrecognizable. It tears you apart inside. I've seen glimpses of total darkness, of the absence of Light, and… It's terrifying, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It condemns you to an inescapable fate of loneliness, hate, anger, suffering… And there's no turning back." He met Luke's stare with a look of complete determination. "I made her a promise to never let that happen. I've seen Rey, seen the good in her, the Light in her, and I won't rest until she's free from the influences of the Dark, until I know she's safe… And no one will stop me." Luke gave him the first genuine smile he'd seen in years.

"That's all I needed to hear." He looked between the two of them, a strange glint in his eye. "I'll be seeing the two of you." Hux gave him a respectful nod and Kylo a weak smile, and the two continued standing hand in hand as the X-wing disappeared from sight.

Closing A/N: I'm going to apologize again for being gone so long, and for the sorry state this chapter's in. I wrote 2/3 of it in about two hours, so it's cobbled together, the characters are a mess, and I had to redo certain parts since I haven't finished the filler chapter that was supposed to go up first (which is still in the works). While I cannot, unfortunately, say that I'll be back to updating semi-regularly (and in less than almost a year), because life really hates me right now, I can wish all of you a very Happy New Year! 2019 is here, so go out there and make this year better than last year, and try not to fail at your resolutions in the first month or so of the year! See y'all next update! :)


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen: Jokes, Dragons, and Conversations

A/N: An update?! *gasp* What is the world coming to? Where did all of this inspiration come from? The original chapter thirteen is finally here! Pretty much filler with: three more Hux siblings and setting the record straight on a few things. Takes place in the middle of Hux's week of saber training. After that, it's back to the present with our Resistance characters and where we left our boys on Arkanis. Until then, however, have a chapter that starts off a bit lighthearted (A.K.A. my poor attempts at humor). Also, thank you ArkhamAnnie for the review that kept me going to get these chapters finished. It meant a lot to me. :) Enjoy!

"Why are we dropping out of hyperspace?" asked Kylo, who stood on the bridge next to Hux. He and Hux had just had their first official day of saber combat training the day before, and while Hux was a bit rough around the edges, he was quite skilled for a beginner. His balanced offensive-defensive style would be very interesting to test his mettle against when Hux was properly trained. "Weren't you saying something about heading towards Starkiller II's system?"

"We are," Hux told him, "But we're making a stop first, both to refuel and for a planetside visit." Kylo looked to him in surprise.

"In this small system?"

"There are two very important weapon manufacturers that provide the First Order with all their schematics and prototype weaponry, and now possibly armor in the future. I promised to visit them in person to assure things are running smoothly, on their end and ours." The second his shift ended, he marched off the bridge, Kylo not far behind him, calling over his shoulder that Mitaka had the bridge.

"Are we leaving right now?" Hux sighed.

"After a change of attire, yes, and do try to dress a bit casually, Kylo. The last thing I need is for those two to start with their conspiracy theories and such about your normal appearance. I can just hear them now. " _I didn't know you were bringing an emo bodyguard, Will. Why ever didn't you tell us? Or maybe he's your boyfriend? It's hard to tell when he's hiding his face like that. Is he one of those mysterious types or is he just shy?_ " On and on and **on**. You have no idea how they get." Kylo looked at Hux with a mix of confusion and amusement as they made their way to their respective quarters.

"Just who is it are we going to meet exactly?"

Hux answered with, "You'll know soon enough," as they got dressed separately. Kylo emerged in his quarters in much the same attire he'd worn on his first visit to a planet with Hux, only this time wearing a belted pair of dark navy blue pants and a white shirt with his combat boots and cloak. Hux, this time, wore a navy shirt with dark pants and boots plus white waistcoat, hair free of its normal product, hanging loosely above his shoulders. Both had their lightsabers safely hidden away on their person, and Hux had also brought his blaster pistols along as well. They, somehow, managed to make it to the hangar unseen by anyone besides a small stormtrooper patrol, who swore very quickly that they would say nothing of what they were seeing at that moment of their two commanders. The trip planetside was short, as was the journey to their destination. Soon enough, the two found themselves approaching two buildings, one that looked like a large scale factory and another, smaller adjoined building that looked decidedly less gloomy. Rather than entering the factory, Hux led them towards the smaller building, holding his hand out to stop Kylo just before they could enter.

"What is it?" Kylo asked in concern, suddenly on high alert as Hux pressed his ear against the door to listen. He had half a mind to pull out his lightsaber, just to be safe, when Hux sighed, fondly shaking his head with a smile, opening the door.

"They're at it again. Of course they are," he commented to himself. Kylo gave him a confused look, but Hux seemed not to notice, beckoning him to follow. They entered what looked to be a weapons shop, shelves and racks of blasters, rifles, explosives, ammunition, repair kits, and a small cluster of droids taking up much of its available space. The building seemed abandoned, until Kylo heard small explosions from nearby. His eyes fell upon a door near the back of the shop, gaze narrowed in caution. Hux, however, looked to be more amused than anything, (nervous as well, but no one needed to know why). "The one occasion I tell them to be on time, and they're messing around like a pair of idiots…"

"Hux, what—

"Now, I'm just going to warn you that they can be a bit…" Hux began, hand on the handle to the other room. "Rambunctious… However, nothing in their workshop should be able to harm you… Severely."

"Wait—!" Before Kylo could demand an explanation, Hux opened the door. The sight that greeted them was a strange one. Several small objects flew through the air, fireworks erupting around them, modified blaster bolts flying back and forth across the workshop. Hearty laughter and lighthearted threats were thrown across the room. Hux took a cautious step forward before swiftly dropping to the ground on all fours, two of what looked like blaster bolts barely missing him. Kylo, thankfully, froze them with the Force, gaze trained on the two blaster rifles peeking out from behind a few tables. A pair of twins watched in bewilderment as Kylo directed the bolts into the room they'd just entered through, harmlessly putting both scorch marks and spots of ice on a small area of the wall. Kylo raised a rather unamused eyebrow while Hux looked as if he'd lost all hope for the galaxy as he got to his feet. Disapprovingly, but with a bit of a smirk, he addressed the two.

"Fredrick! Gregory! How many times have we told you **not** to test your new inventions on each other, or visitors for that matter?" The twins grinned gleefully, vaulting over the tables they'd sheltered behind to approach their brother and the stranger.

"We wanted to finish up a line of weapons in our _other_ business before you got here. We'd just had a major breakthrough on a second version, so we decided to test them both out—" The first twin, Fredrick, claimed, speaking directly at Hux.

"Correction: **You** decided to graze me with one of your flame blasters, claiming the fire version would be better than the ice version—" The other twin, Gregory, claimed, glaring halfheartedly at his brother.

"Which it is!" Fredrick argued back.

"—Before instigating a battle that you quite clearly lost."

"Oh sure. Go out into the main room and you tell me which blaster had a larger effect."

"Kylo, these are my younger twin brothers, Fredrick and Gregory Westley-Hux." The twins froze, mischievous smiles slowly dawning on their faces.

"Kylo Ren? Fascinating! Who knew our brother was _**that**_ charming?" Fredrick teased. Gregory's grin grew as he caught on to the teasing.

"What a catch, Will! Have you two sat down for tea? Have you spent nights together? Have you written to mum about him yet?" Hux tried to ignore the warmth in his face as he blushed at the comments.

"I came here to ask about the weapon and armor prototypes you said you had ready, not to be on the receiving end of your entertainment at my expense," Hux told them, attempting to hide his embarrassment.

"Well, allow us to **properly** introduce ourselves to your boyfriend." Fredrick held out a hand to Kylo before he or Hux could correct his assumption. "Fredrick Westley-Hux, firearms expert, the fun twin." Kylo hesitated before going to accept the handshake, but Hux stopped him.

"I think not. Take that ridiculous thing off your hand before he hurts you." Fredrick stuck his tongue out before removing a shock buzzer from his hand with an "Are you happy now?" look on his face.

Kylo was ready to jump to his defense when several familiar items and contraptions caught his eye. It was then that he really looked at his surroundings. Several different tools whirred in the background, boxes of spare parts and strange looking materials grouped around several workbenches. Something in his mind clicked. _Westley. Inventions._

" **You** run the joke shop?"

"Do we run it? We built this business from the ground up. It all started our last year of school…" Kylo looked on as Fredrick explained, clearly impressed. Gregory, taking pity on his brother, decided to fill him in on the progress of the shipment orders. The new blaster rifles now held larger ammo clips and had enhanced rate of fire, new comm link designs allowed for wider range communication, and new armor schematics looked to be promising.

"The only issue we're having is with the jetpacks for your shock trooper units. I know you talked about reinstating them some time ago."

"Let me take a look at one," Hux replied, glad he could finally be of use in this situation. Several hours, exploded contraptions, and jumpscares later, Hux and Kylo left the workshop building feeling accomplished. "How was your, no doubt, _enlightening_ conversation with my brother?"

"Surprisingly insightful," Kylo responded after a moment of thought.

"Is that so?" Hux asked, not believing him.

"Very much so… And I see your time helping Gregory with a prototype paid off." He gestured to the now fully functional jetpack in his hands. Hux nodded.

"Yes. Let's see Resistance soldiers try to hit moving, _flying_ targets. Now, we have yet another advantage for ground combat."

"And now, I finally know where the stormtroopers are getting their decoy detonators and fireworks from, and how to deconstruct every last one of those annoying contraptions that find their way into the mess hall!"

XxX

"What are you reading?" Kylo asked, emerging from the refresher in nothing but pants, a towel around his neck to soak up the water dripping from his hair. Ever since they'd began training together it had been quite normal for them to spend more time together in one of their rooms, and today was no different. Hux glanced up from his book, looking over Kylo appreciatively before resuming.

"It's something one of my brothers sent me recently about exotic creatures throughout the galaxy. In his last message, he talked about having found an injured Krayt Dragon and wanting to nurse it back to health." He shook his head fondly and smiled. "He's always had such an unhealthy obsession with dragons." Kylo sat down next to him and skimmed the page with a raised eyebrow.

"They don't seem like the kind of creature you can just go up to and…"

"I know, but that won't stop Chandler from trying." Without being asked, Hux grabbed Kylo's towel and began to gently dry his hair, carefully setting his book aside. Kylo blushed, both embarrassed and confused as Hux then combed his fingers through the wild raven locks in an attempt to tame them (to no avail). He tsked in annoyance before catching Kylo's expression, pausing. "What?"

"I… What are you doing?" Hux gave him a look before continuing his efforts.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Kylo?"

"But… Why?"

"Do I need a reason?"

"I—No?" Hux hmmphed, satisfied with the answer.

" _Well! When Rhandal told me you'd found someone, I never expected it to be Kylo Ren."_ Hux and Kylo looked up at the holocall that had just been established, and Hux rolled his eyes at the statement, Kylo blushing even more.

"Hello to you too, Chandler," Hux told him with a raised eyebrow, finishing drying off Kylo's hair before dropping the towel on the bed beside him. "Still chasing after that dragon?" A roar echoed not too far off after that statement, and Hux and Kylo were astonished to see a golden-tan scaled tail whip through the air behind Chandler, who grinned up at it before answering.

"There wasn't any chasing to be done. She was quite gentle after I treated her, actually."

"Where was she hurt?"

"Some hunters had ripped part of a wing. She was grounded and huddled up under the sand. If I didn't know where to look I would've missed her." Chandler stumbled forward with a chuckle, looking back to see the Krayt Dragon had bumped him gently with her nose, an almost smirk in her eyes. He patted her affectionately and Kylo just stared.

"I've never seen someone have such a way with creatures," he spoke with wonder. Chandler smiled warmly at him.

"I've loved them since I was a boy. I like to joke that I was raised with five of them sometimes," he told him, and Kylo couldn't help but laugh at the statement. Hux's eyes lit up at the sight, Chandler noticed, a small smile gracing his features before his datapad beeped, ending the moment. Kylo reached over for it and sighed as he read the message, setting it back down and getting up from his spot on the bed.

"What is it?"

"It seems another officer has challenged Captain Phasma's authority, and is probably about to take a nice trip down to the medbay." Hux stood up as well.

"I can—

"I'll take care of it. You stay and catch up with your brother." Hux tried to protest, but Kylo wouldn't hear it, Force-pulling his robes from across the room into his hands. He turned back towards the holocall. "It was nice meeting you, Chandler."

"You as well, Kylo," he replied with a wave. Kylo pulled his robes on, not bothering to bring his lightsaber, exiting the room with one more look back at Hux. As the door shut, Chandler whistled, getting Hux's attention back. "You've really fallen hard, haven't you, Will?" Hux blushed.

"What is it with all of you **insisting** —

"Because it's obvious and you know it," Chandler interrupted him with a knowing look. "I know relationships aren't your area of expertise, big brother, but surely you've seen the signs?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Hux denied stubbornly.

"Oh, come _on!_ Have you seen the way you look at him? Have you seen how you are so willing to put him first, how you just automatically respond to him when he needs something, how comfortable you seem to be together? I can see it in your eyes, Will."

"I don't… I…" Hux looked to be at a total loss. Yes, he'd noticed some of these things, of course he had, but he didn't know what to make of them. Were they an after effect from their bond? Were they just natural reactions now that they could finally get along every day? Or were they something more, like his siblings kept suggesting? Chandler saw the lost look in his eyes with a sad smile. "I don't know how I feel," Hux finally said.

"I figured. You care about him. A lot." Hux nodded.

"But I don't know if it's…" He couldn't muster the courage to actually say the word. He didn't know how it felt, to care about someone that deeply, to think of someone that way.

"And that's okay… But don't push him away, Will. He's a keeper." Hux scoffed, but couldn't help but smile at that, letting out a chuckle as the Krayt Dragon's mighty wings stirred up a wind strong enough to knock Chandler off his feet as she happily flew circles above his head. Chandler looked up in childlike wonder, and Hux watched his brother with a grin, his words eliciting a feeling of warmth inside of him. Maybe they were right. Maybe he **did** feel that way about Kylo… Hux pushed the thoughts to the side as he continued chatting with his brother, immediately regretting when he teased him about wanting to be a dragon rider next when he saw the challenging gleam in his eye. Why had he given him ideas?

XxX

Kylo sighed once again as he made his way down to the bridge, not noticing the astonished looks he was drawing from the 'troopers he was passing. His thoughts were on Hux and what had transpired earlier. He didn't know why his mind had brought back up the topic of their relationship to one another, be that friend or something more, but it had. He saw the way Hux had looked at him when he left the room. Was he imagining things, or did he see a hint of sadness at his departure, detect just the slightest bit of longing through their bond? For some reason the thought made his heart feel lighter, and he was only startled out of his trance when he got to the bridge to see just what commotion had been stirred up.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, less angry and intimidating than he'd been aiming for. All heads turned towards him, and the shouting match that he'd just interrupted abruptly silenced. Kylo observed the wide-eyed looks with confusion before realizing he hadn't covered his face on his way down. Ignoring the whispers beginning, no doubt about him, he turned to Phasma and the officer on the unfortunate receiving end of her anger. "I asked a question," he told them with a glare.

"This man dared to insult my honor, the **general's** honor, before declaring he could lead this entire ship and my troops better than either of us ever could! He had the nerve to pull a blaster on me and threaten my life!" The officer who'd been arguing with her paled as Kylo's glare turned on him, expression of anger turning quickly into an expression of terror.

"Is that so?" Kylo asked, taking a menacing step forward, eyes flashing gold for just a moment. Phasma didn't miss the sight, anger quickly replaced by intrigue and amusement as Kylo approached the other officer. "You, who has been here hardly four months? You, who has done nothing but squander every opportunity handed to him? You… Who can't even look his superior in the eye and say those words to his face?" Kylo was just a few steps away from the officer, whose eyes were anywhere but on Kylo. "The general and Captain Phasma have done more for the First Order than the rest of you in this room combined. Whether or not you like them, they are two of the biggest reason we still live to fight another day against the Resistance to restore order to the galaxy… And if you think, for one moment, you can target them without targeting **me** …" The officer finally met Kylo's eyes, which were full of fury and, even more terrifying to him, a compassion for the two he spoke about, scrambling back a few feet, his back hitting a console.

"Forgive me, Lord Ren! I spoke out of line! I was merely voicing the opinions of my other crew mates—" Kylo tuned out the man's rambling as his eyes swept throughout the room. Reaching out gently to their minds through the Force, he sifted through a few of their thoughts, surprised at what he found. Despite their actions over the past through months, it was clear that a lot of the crew's faith in Hux had been renewed. It seemed the general's efforts at getting to know them and working to make sure his troops, officers, and family were safe had left a lasting impression. Their respect towards him and, oddly enough, even Kylo himself had returned tenfold, though there were others who were still unsure of their leadership. He turned his attention back to the officer, whose rambling still wasn't finished. "—And so, when Captain Phasma commented on my less than stellar, I admit, work thus far today, I—" He stopped as Kylo held up a hand, fully expecting to feel himself choking in a moment and shocked when the feeling never came.

"I care not about your poor work habits or your lack of faith in our leadership, but **never** presume to speak for this crew," he warned lowly. "The general and I couldn't ask for more loyal or hard working crew members, who, despite all of our mistakes and failures, still tolerate us, still follow orders. If our efforts simply aren't enough for you, then you can leave while we're still planetside." Eyes widened, and Phasma raised an eyebrow at Kylo's more level headed approach to the situation. There was no Force choking, no wielding of a lightsaber, no death threats. It was… Strangely refreshing, and unexpected of their usually angry and short-tempered leader. With a nod, the officer quickly left the bridge, intending on packing his things and leaving while he still had his life.

Kylo let out a long breath, eyes briefly meeting Phasma's as he turned to face the rest of the room. They had never truly seen eye to eye, but Phasma couldn't help the respect that she felt for Kylo in that moment. She gave him a small smile that he returned. "If the situation has been resolved, I suggest you all get back to work," he told the crew casually. They all stared at him for a moment before resuming their normal duties, a few with hidden smiles on their faces. Without another word, Kylo left the bridge, and as Mitaka joined Phasma's side the two wondered at just how much Kylo had changed in the last few months.

XxX

Refueled and with both its commanders back on board, the _Finalizer_ resumed its course to the soon to be location of Starkiller II. Hux was surprised at the warm welcome he received the next morning, the smiles, respectful nods, and occasional salute. There was even a, "Good morning, general," from an officer he was sure couldn't even look at him not one a few weeks ago. Taking his usual place on the bridge, he was surprised to see Kylo, hood down, already awake, speaking amicably with **Phasma** of all people, and a now less nervous looking Mitaka as well. Had the galaxy been turned on its head? Had he been sent to an alternate reality, or was he so far gone that he was in a Force induced hallucination?

' _I don't know whether to feel flattered or insulted by that,'_ Kylo projected to him from across the bridge, a slight smile on his face. Their eyes met briefly, and the crew watched the miniature exchange with amusement. They'd noticed their commanders' fond interactions as of late, and half of them were convinced that they were a genuine couple now.

' _What happened to change the crew this drastically?'_

' _I… May have gotten a bit carried away yesterday…'_

' _And this is a good thing?'_

' _I defended you and Phasma, praised the crew, may have convinced an officer to leave the Finalizer before I made good on a few unspoken threats…'_ Hux couldn't help the scoff that escaped him, or the smile that just wouldn't go away. He couldn't even feel annoyed enough at Phasma's knowing smirk to glare her way. Mitaka looked between the two commanders with a soft smile.

' _Who are you, and what have you done with Kylo Ren?'_

' _I'd like to think I can_ _ **sometimes**_ _be asked to act maturely,'_ Kylo shot back in good humor. Hux shook his head fondly.

' _I know,'_ he responded with warmth. The crew occasionally looked on with warmth, the feeling in the room's atmosphere almost palpable as Kylo joined Hux's side, the two staring out at the stars together with content smiles on their faces.

Closing A/N: This is **finally** done after months of frustration, and I think it turned out pretty good. AND I got to do a bit more of relationship building, which has been a long time coming. After the next, I can't guarantee another chapter within the next two-ish months seeing as how my school's spring musical, AP exams, finals, track, AND graduation are happening within that span of time, but maybe I'll be able to find a weekend to crank out another one, or maybe I'll update in early June. Either way, HAPPY TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO THE FIC! Has it really been two spring breaks since I posted the first few chapters of this? :)


	16. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen: A Light in the Dark

A/N: I have returned bearing an all Resistance characters chapter! AND, since my writing muse has decided to suddenly cooperate, IT'S A DOUBLE UPDATE! Sorry in advance if things get confusing when we get to Luke's part at the end. That part suddenly came to me and I just went with it. Man have I missed writing this fic, and I am so excited for the next chapter because **fifteen chapters of semi-slow build are FINALLY about to pay off!** I think. Probably. Anyway! Enjoy another filler-ish chapter. :)

Leia was waiting for him when his X-wing touched down. As he accompanied her back inside, Luke seemed lost in his own thoughts, not really paying attention to where he was going until she stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked to her apologetically and sighed. She just shook her head in understanding as they met each other's eyes before continuing their walk. Luke was distant for the rest of the day and throughout most of the night, so much so that even Rey, Finn, and Poe were worried about him. It wouldn't be until after another restless and failed attempt at sleep that Luke got up and left his room, wandering aimlessly around the base until he and Leia found each other.

Luke and Leia sat peacefully next to each other, still warm cups of caff sitting on a nearby holotable. It was early morning, neither of them really able to relax or sleep since Luke's return, Luke because of his endless thoughts and Leia because of her concern for her family. Luke… Luke didn't really know what to think at the moment. He had been so sure, after everything he'd heard from Rey and the rest of the Resistance, that Kylo was beyond saving, but on Arkanis… He'd seen glimpses of his nephew in the man the galaxy had come to know as Kylo Ren. He was just as intuitive, just as driven and passionate about things that mattered to him as he'd been before. And he was changed, of course he was, but Ben Solo was alive and well. He sighed.

"He's changed, hasn't he?" Leia asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Yes, though not as much as I thought." Leia smiled at that.

"Snoke might have taken him from us, might have tried to turn him into an unfeeling Dark Side killer, but _my son is alive._ " Luke looked grimly on at nothing in particular, thoughts whirring a mile a minute. Leia sighed worriedly. "What is it, Luke?"

"I just… I love Ben. You know I do, but… Do we just expect him to be telling the truth after all this time?"

"I **know** he's telling the truth."

"I—

"Luke, search your feelings. You **know** we can trust him." Luke let out a deep breath, knowing he had lost this argument.

"But I don't trust Hux," he told her immediately. "Bonded to Kylo or not." Leia nodded, but there was uncertainty in her gaze that matched Luke's own.

"I don't trust him either, but… I think I can understand a little bit of why he did all of those things." The Empire and the First Order were all that Hux had known, and with Snoke always watching him, always waiting for an excuse to end him, Hux had had to do everything that was commanded of him, even if it meant killing billions. Not that his actions were justified, but Leia at least knew he hadn't ended lives because he was a stone cold killer, and he cared about his men and women, even if he didn't know them personally. She could see that Luke shared her thoughts, even if he didn't know all of the information. With that issue out of the way, she finally got to the question she'd truly been meaning to ask. "Did you get the answers you were looking for?" Luke thought on that for a moment before his brow furrowed, a worried expression coming over his face.

"Yes, but… Now I have even more questions, about other things entirely, and…" He shook his head, internally berating himself for thinking such things, but Leia wouldn't have him keeping anymore secrets.

"And?" she prompted him. He sighed, trying to figure out how to say what was on his mind.

"When I saw Ben again… I saw all of the things I thought he'd lost when he left the academy for Snoke. I saw the Light in him, renewed and shining brighter than ever, and I saw how truly sorry he was for everything he'd done since then. And… It made me think, about all that **I've** done, about the mistakes **I've** made… About Rey…" He couldn't meet her gaze then, expecting outrage or disappointment. Instead, Leia laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You can't control other people's actions, Luke. Any mistakes they make don't fall on you."

"Unless I'm the one who influenced their mistakes," he told her. "Think about it. If I had never brought up my concerns to Ben, if I hadn't made him feel even more isolated than he already was, do you think he would've trusted Snoke so easily? Do you think he would've left like he did?" Leia was silent for a moment, contemplative.

"I think he would've felt isolated no matter what," she replied, slowly at first. "He never felt like he fit in as a kid, and when he finally became a part of a place where he wasn't the only Force user, wasn't the only one who was different, he still didn't quite fit in. He learned faster, was stronger, wanted to learn as much as he could, wanted your approval, my and Han's approval. His falling to the Dark Side was never on you; it was on all of us, for not being there for him like he needed us. But what's done is done, and my son isn't lost, nor will he ever be. The same goes for Rey."

"I just… I can't help but feel that no matter what I do or how I do it, everyone I reach out to turns to the Dark Side." Ben and Snoke's whispering, Rey with her visions… The Force wasn't supposed to lead them to darkness, and yet that was exactly what it had done. And now… What could he do?

"You know that's not true, and even if it was, you are even more capable of bringing them back to the Light. And if you won't agree with me I'm sure father will." Luke chuckled then, trying not to roll his eyes.

" _Of course_ he would," he replied with a smile.

"But you were his favorite," she pointed out.

"He knew me longer," Luke argued. "I'm sure he would've loved you just the same."

"I've spoken to him once, though barely longer than a minute."

"And what did he say?"

"To not give up on Ben, that he was lost as soon as the last person he cared about lost faith in him… That it would take time, but that he would come around."

"And I think he's right, but I _still_ can't shake the feeling…" His statement went unfinished as the smile fell from his face, but when he caught Leia's eye he knew she knew what he was going to say.

"I know. I feel it too."

XxX

Rey, as of late, had been very lost in her own thoughts. She didn't seem to notice, but Finn and Poe definitely did. Whether it was staring despondently at her lightsaber or withdrawing from social interactions that she would usually start, Rey was internally a mess. The confirmation about the meaning of the vision had completely rocked her world, and her revelations about Luke and his loss of trust and hope in the Force did nothing but make her even more uncertain. If her master, the one person who understood the Force more than anyone, trusted in it no longer, wanted nothing to do with it, how could she put her faith in him for answers? Could Luke truly help her, or was he just as lost as she was in this situation? At this point, was there anyone she could go to for guidance? General Organa perhaps, but how much help could she actually be? She was startled out of her thoughts by Poe, who had seen her downward spiraling thoughts keep her down all day. He gave a her a gentle smile.

"I think your frown is so strong that even the wall looks like it'll burst into tears." She smiled weakly at that, a grateful look in her eyes for the distraction. He regarded her with concern then. "What's up, Rey? You've been lost in thought all day." She sighed, averting her eyes.

"I just… I have a lot on my mind, about the vision, about Luke, about Kylo… And I don't know what to do. I don't know who to go to. I just feel so… Alone." Poe sighed and took a seat next to her. She'd barely touched her lunch, and the mess hall had began emptying out some time ago. A few remained, but mostly for conversation.

"I can't help you understand these things. I wish I could, but it's not my area of expertise. You're **not alone,** Rey. You've got me, Finn, Luke, the general, Chewie, R2, heck, even Three-pi-o." She looked up at him again. "We're here for you, no matter what." Without warning she grabbed Poe in a tight embrace, exhaling harshly. He patted her back in comfort, returning it.

"Poe… Thank you. I know I haven't been the kindest to you since we've met—

"Hey, I get it. I've noticed the glares, and it's alright. You want to spend some time with your boyfriend and I'm always in his personal space. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression, by the way. Finn, he… He saved my life. I'd do anything for him, and I care about him. He's like family to me."

"Thank you for being there for him when I couldn't be."

"There's nowhere else I would've wanted to be. Now, I'm pretty sure you haven't eaten much today," he told her, indicating her cold plate. "Let me get us something warmer, hmm?" She let out a soft laugh.

XxX

The first time Finn saw her that day, she and Poe were enjoying lunch together, and it made his heart soar seeing her smile and laugh after all of the worries she'd been burdened with in the last few weeks. Rey hadn't been herself lately, and it saddened him to think that the fiery spirited yet sweet and caring girl he'd met on Jakku had been reduced to a former shell of herself. He went through his day like he normally did, but the people around him and the general couldn't help but see the extra pep in his step, the soft smile that he couldn't ever seem to hide, the way he'd get lost in thought at the very mention of Rey.

"What do you think, Finn?" Leia asked him at the end of a debriefing. He hummed in question, snapping back to attention. Leia smiled knowingly at him, and he cleared his throat, apologizing. Leia simply chuckled fondly. "Dismissed, everyone," she told them, and they all sent Finn kind looks as they left the room. He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, once again apologizing softly to Leia. "It's alright. Go to her. I have a feeling she's going to need you, now more than ever." Not knowing what to say in response, he nodded respectfully and hurried from the room, assuming she would have finished her training with Luke for the day as the sun was setting. He didn't have to wait long to find her, quite literally running into her as they made their way down the hall, stumbling back from the impact.

"Rey!" he exclaimed in surprise, apologizing profusely as he took in her tired and frustrated state. She looked a mess, clothes disheveled, hair flying in her face, eyes watering, posture exhausted. She looked to him with more warmth and relief than he'd ever seen from her.

"Finn," she whispered in response. He was immediately by her side, taking her hand in his and leading her down the hall, away from prying eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked when they were finally alone, grip on her hand gentle, stroking her knuckles with a feather-light touch. They were seated side by side in an empty room on the other side of the base.

"Everything," she told him immediately. "Everything is wrong. My training, my fears, the vision, the Force. All of it feels wrong!" Finn was taken aback at her answer, not quite understanding.

"What do you mean?"

"I…" She took a deep and steadying breath before continuing. "I feel like no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, I am fighting against a fate I cannot change. He told me what the vision meant, and I didn't want to accept it, but I already knew." She let out a harsh breath. "There's a darkness inside of me, a darkness that I won't always be able to fight. And no matter where I turn or which way I look there are constant reminders. Luke's reluctance to train me grows every day and I can see, can **feel** it. He's afraid, of the Force, of me, of what I could do if I lost my way… And… No one understands. No one has any answers. No one can help me." Finn was at a loss for words yet again. The anguish he felt hearing Rey's words broke his heart, and he couldn't do anything, couldn't find the words to comfort her.

"Rey, I…"

"But no matter what I've been through, no matter how bleak my future looks, there has been one constant: you." He startled at her words and her watery smile. "Every time me thoughts wander towards the dark, I hear your voice calling me back. Every time I'm convinced that there isn't enough good left in this world to fight the evil trying to rule it, I remember you standing up to one of the galaxy's most feared tyrants. Every time I feel hopeless or like I'm losing myself, you're there, holding my hand, anchoring me, telling me everything will be alright…" She looked down at their joined hands with adoration before meeting his eyes. "I can never thank you enough for all you do for me, Finn, even if you don't realize it."

"I…" He had no idea Rey felt that way about him. He had no idea he had that kind of effect on her. He couldn't be more grateful for her trust in him, her confidence in him. He couldn't help the love that burst in his chest for her. She must have noticed, or picked up on his train of thought, as she gasped, emotions in her eyes multiplied tenfold.

"You project quite loudly," she told him with a small smirk, and he blushed, a sheepish smile on his face once more. He couldn't help but gasp in return as he felt a swell of love and gratitude sweep through him, no doubt from Rey, and he pulled her close, resting her head on his shoulder, arms going around her protectively. She sighed contently, snuggling into his side, feeling for the first time in a long time that things might actually be alright.

XxX

Luke sat hopelessly on the edge of his bed later that night, mind swirling with emotions and doubts. After seeing Rey leave, once again, in frustration, anger, and fear he had lost faith yet again, in himself, in everything he knew. Leia's words of comfort echoed faintly in his mind from earlier, but he knew even she could not change his mind about this. He was afraid. That much he knew. He had a pretty good idea what of, but didn't know if he had the courage to face it. Closing his eyes with a sigh, he concentrated, going into his mindscape, reaching out through the Force like he normally would. He focused on how it felt, on what he could perceive, and was immediately struck with a sense of _**wrong.**_ Jerking back to awareness, he took a deep breath, let it out, and tried again.

This time, he didn't try to hold back, searching for his Force signature and branching out from there, re-familiarizing himself with the Force after decades of pushing it away. What he felt took his breath away. How long had it been since he'd experienced this feeling of peace, of being whole, of being connected to everything around him? How could he have gone without being able to feel the surface thoughts of those around him floating untouched in the air, the life force of all living things ever present, the _**Light?**_ He gasped out emotionally. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think he would open himself back up to the Force like this again. But… He wasn't quite finished. He still had something else to do. Reluctantly turning away from the Light, Luke distanced himself from it, searching for the source of the fear that had driven him away in the first place: the Dark side.

When he found what he was looking for he stared the presence in the face for a long while. The dark tendrils of the Force visible to him in his mindscape avoided coming too close to him, bright and glowing as his Force signature was. Tendrils of Light swirled calmly around him, protectively. In that moment he was without fear. It wasn't until another presence made itself known in the Force that Luke felt his doubt creep back in. The presence radiated nothing but darkness, evil, malicious, and enraged at the presence of a being of Light of such power. There, standing across from him defiantly, glaring at him with as much hate as he could convey through expression alone, was Snoke. They stared at each other for a long time. Snoke was surrounded by a furiously swirling cloud of darkness that knew no bounds, uncontained and dangerous.

" _ **Skywalker,"**_ he growled. " _ **You've finally made your presence known."**_

" _ **Snoke. I see you haven't changed since the last time we spoke like this."**_ Luke the picture of calm, for the first time in a long time. This seemed to anger Snoke further.

" _ **You may be confident now, but you have failed. Kylo is mine, and soon, the girl will be mine as well!"**_

" _ **You're wrong. There is still Light in Ben, no matter what you've tried to do to him all these years. And Rey? Rey will never join you."**_ Snoke grinned then, a horrible, gut-wrenching sight.

" _ **You think that just because you have come to your sense you will have time to save her?"**_ His dark chuckle sent chills down Luke's spine, but he looked on with conviction, determination.

" _ **Foolish old man! You have pushed her away, right into my waiting arms. Soon, it shall be your undoing, and I will very much enjoy watching you fall by her hands."**_ Luke took a deep breath, feeling the Force flow through him like it always should have, and took a step forward. Then another. And another. He walked forward until his and Snoke's signature were within reach of one another, expression unchanged, filled with a confidence and empowerment he hadn't felt in a long, long time.

" _ **As long a there is a spark of Light left in either of them, no matter what path they choose to take, it is**_ you _**who will fall, Snoke."**_ Outraged by the confidence that he seemingly couldn't shatter within Luke, Snoke lashed out, the darkness of his Force signature threatening to swallow Luke whole. For a moment, it looked like it had. But suddenly, within the tower of darkness that had been Luke, a Light began to shine through, so bright that Snoke had to shield his eyes against it. Soon it engulfed the entire mindscape, until Luke stood tall once again, surrounded by Light, driving Snoke away, who screamed in defeat. The Light reigned itself in as the darkness left his mindscape, and Luke fell to his knees, exhausted.

Opening his eyes, Luke found himself back in his room on the base in D'Qar, sprawled on the floor, a faint smile gracing his lips. Reaching out with the Force felt natural again, felt right, and he made a promise that he would undo all of the damage he had caused the last few months. No matter what, he would not let his fears overrule him. Never again.

XxX

Rey and Leia gasped as a bright presence reemerged in the Force, for a moment blocking all sources of darkness. Leia gasped out, "Luke," and it took Rey a moment to realize what she meant. When the impact of his name hit her she couldn't help but sob in relief. The Force had heard her pleas. Luke was finally himself again. But… Would he still be able to provide her with answers?

Meanwhile, across the galaxy, Hux and Kylo gasped out, dropping their sabers in the middle of a training session. Kylo fell to his knees and Hux leaned against a wall for support as a strong Light side presence made itself known throughout the Force, momentarily driving away the darkness that was usually always present. Hux reached out to Kylo through their bond in concern, but Kylo sent reassurance and a strange sense of happiness back to him. "Luke," he replied simply, having felt his uncle reconnect fully with the Force just like his mother had. Reaching out through the Force, Kylo could locate Luke's Force signature not far from his mother's and Rey's, and he couldn't keep the grin off of his face, much to Hux's confusion. Luke was back as he should be, and he was done hiding.

Closing A/N: So… The way the chapter ended wasn't what I had originally intended, BUT it was totally unexpected and actually addressed a plot point that I was totally lost about for a while: Luke's fears and how they were affecting everyone. I know I've already said it in the opening notes, but _**man**_ have I missed writing for this fic, and I'm so glad that I could get back into it today. :) Thanks to everyone who's given their continued support and encouragement; it means the world to me and makes writing worth it! Much love, and see you guys next chapter! 3


End file.
